Bulletproof Blye (formerly untitled)
by canaussie
Summary: When Kensi doesn't show up for work, Deeks goes to check on her, but isn't prepared for what he finds. What has happened to Kensi, and is she going to be ok? Complete.
1. Chapter 1

"Fern! Hey, Fern! Let me in."

Deeks knocked on the familiar door, wondering what was up. His partner hadn't shown up for work this morning and hadn't let anyone know why. Last night she had gone out for drinks with Nell, but Nell was adamant nothing was out of the ordinary and Kensi had gone home at a normal time and hadn't had too much to drink. After a few jokes about how Kensi was nursing a hangover or avoiding the walk of shame (which Deeks desperately hoped was untrue), those at OSP were getting a bit concerned. Callen checked with Hetty, and when even she had no idea where Kensi was or why she wasn't at work, they decided something might be up and sent Deeks to check things out. So that's why he was here, knocking at her door - trying to keep his voice light and playful even though he was starting to feel uneasy.

"Kens! Let me in or I'm gonna pick the lock! You better be decent in there... or not, your choice." But the joke felt a bit lame, even to him.

"Come on, Princess. Let your partner in. We're getting a bit worried about you."

When there was no sound, and no movement inside, Deeks pulled out a key that Hetty had given him and opened the door.

At first glance, nothing looked out of place. It was the same as the last time (and every time before that) he had visited her. Then again, with Kensi it was hard to tell. He was constantly teasing her about her lack of organization and her hoarding tendencies.

"Hey Kens, you here? You're late for work, you know." He called out while glancing around. He saw her bag on the couch where he guessed she would have dropped it last night. On a hunch, he dialed her number and sure enough the bag started ringing. So her phone was in her bag, which was on the couch. He reached in to grab it, and felt her keys. Going back to the door, he looked out the window. Yup, her car was there. How he missed that on his way in, he didn't know. But he figured at this point she must just have been really exhausted and slept in.

He was quiet for a moment, and realized he thought he heard something.

"Wake up sleeping beauty, it's morning time!" he yelled out, hoping he'd get a response, even if it was just a groan. When he didn't, he started towards her room, but kept chatting at her in hopes of a response.

When he got to her room, he knocked on the door (which he realized was kind of stupid, because if his yelling and clattering around hadn't woke her up, how was a knock on the door going to?) and then slowly opened it. He was totally unprepared for what he saw.


	2. Chapter 2

_- Author Note -_

_I hadn't expected anyone to read my story, let alone follow or review it, in such a short period of time. This is my first attempt at "publishing" any writing. I welcome constructive criticism, but keep in mind I'm not a writer - just a bored SAHM. _

_Hope you enjoy this. Not sure when the next chapter will come._

Her bed was empty, with no sign she'd slept in it last night. The dress she'd worn out with Nell wasn't crumpled on the floor or tossed on a chair - he didn't see it at all. What was going on? Kensi had come home, dumped her purse on the couch and hadn't made it to bed? He spun around slowly, confused. He turned from the room and started looking around, paying more attention and searching for anything out of place that could give him a hint as to where his partner was. He didn't see anything. But then he heard it - a quiet, muffled noise. It sounded like it was coming from the bathroom. He threw the door open, and what he saw was worse than what he'd seen in her room. Kensi was lying on the floor in the same dress he'd seen her wearing when she left work last night. Her dark hair was spread behind her. Her eyes were closed, and if it weren't for the pooling blood on the floor behind her head, he would have been blown away by her beauty. Instead, he was frozen in place, in total shock.

It only took a second for him to burst into action, but it felt like a year. He was on the floor, checking for her pulse, checking to see if she was breathing and praying for her to be ok. He grabbed his phone and punched in a familiar number as fast as he could.

"Eric, I need an ambulance at Kensi's place, NOW. She's unconscious, I don't know what happened, just get me an ambulance, NOW!"

He could hear Nell in the background asking questions, but he didn't give it another thought as he put the phone on speaker, dropped it in his lap, and returned to checking his partner over. She had a pulse, but it was a lot weaker than it should be. She was breathing - but barely. What the hell had happened? He thought of her as bulletproof - nothing could take Kensi down. He'd seen her bounce up from explosions, gunshots, beatings and car wrecks. What had taken her down?

His mind was a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts. He shook his head, and realized he had to get it together - he was the only one there with her, and she needed him.

Quickly, he started assessing her for injuries. The back of her skull had a massive lump that had split open, thus the blood. She didn't react in any way when he palpated the injury.

"Come on Kens, wake up, tell me what the hell happend, come on. I need you to help me here. Please, Kens, please!" but he couldn't say anything else. His voice cracked and tears blurred his eyes. "Get it together. Get it together." he mumbled to himself.

He knew Eric was still talking to him, and was probably starting to worry at Deeks' lack of response.

"Sorry, can you repeat that?" he yelled at the phone.

"What's going on, Deeks? The ambulance is on the way. What happened? Is she breathing? Tell us what's going on!" Deeks could hear the panic in Eric's voice, and he imagined Nell was freaking out as she called for Hetty, Callen and Sam. With a deep breath, Deeks tried to get his focus back.

"She's breathing and has a pulse, but it's weak. Definite head injury. I have no idea what happened, her place is fine, nothing out of place, but she's just... she's..." he had to pause as a cry caught in his throat "she's not good, Eric. Her colour is grey. The blood is old. It looks like she's been lying here for a while."

"OK Mr. Deeks. Take a deep breath. Your partner needs you right now." Hetty's voice came over the phone. Deeks did as he told. "Have you checked her for other injuries?"

He hadn't - he'd been too panicked. His training was coming back and he gently opened her eyes and checked her pupillary reflexes. Nothing. He checked again - and still no response. He checked her arms, hands, legs, feet - nothing. He hesitated then gently felt her ribs through her clothes, but he couldn't bring himself to lift her dress. When she woke up, she'd kill him if he pulled a stunt like that, even if it was to help her.

"I don't see anything. Just the head wound. But her pupils aren't responding to light. What else do I check? What do I do?" He felt panic washing over him again. He thought he was better than this. He was trained for high stress situations. But for some reason, it all went out the window the moment he saw her lying there.

"Stay with her, Mr. Deeks. The ambulance will be there soon. Callen and Sam are on their way as well." In the background he heard Nell yelling something "And Ms. Jones will meet you at the hospital." Finally he heard the sirens, and the panic lessened a tiny bit.

Moments later, the paramedics were beside him asking a million questions. He told them what he knew and tried to stay out of the way, but he wasn't letting go of her. Within moments, the paramedics had her strapped to the gurney and were taking her out the door. Callen and Sam pulled in as Deeks was hopping in the ambulance. Callen's face was creased with worry and Sam looked stressed as well.

"We'll let you know if we find anything. Call us when you know how she is." Callen called out as the ambulance door closed.

Deeks answered all the questions the paramedics were asking him as best he could. He hoped Nell could fill in the blanks as to what happened before Kensi got home, but he already knew that none of them had answers yet as to what happened after that. He had his own questions for the paramedics and was desperate to know if she was going to be ok, but they had no satisfactory answers for him. After a few moments of silence, aside from the sirens and bleeps of the machines in the ambulance, Deeks realized that his phone was still on speaker and he should probably say something to Eric and Hettie. But he didn't know what. He picked up his phone and stared at it blankly. As he opened his mouth to speak, the ambulance turned sharply and stopped. A moment later, the doors opened and he jumped up.

"We're at the hospital. I'll call you as soon as we know anything." He said, and hung up. He didn't want to let Kensi out of his sight, but the paramedics whisked her away and he found himself alone. The swirl of panic, fear and confusion about what had happened broke through the damn he was trying to build, and he leaned against a wall before sliding to the floor in tears.


	3. Chapter 3

Kensi was trapped. There wasn't any other way to describe it. She was trapped, in her own body. Feeling, hearing, aware - but trapped.

She'd had a good evening out with Nell. Just the two of them at a bar, a few girly cocktails, chatting about nothing and everything at the same time. And before they were too silly and it was too late, they headed their seperate ways. She took a cab home. Completely uneventful, nothing out of the ordinary. She paid the fare, went inside, dropped her purse on the couch and locked up. But after that, there's a black void. She remembers nothing until she became conscious of herself lying on a cold surface, in a ton of pain, and trapped inside herself.

She tried to open her eyes. Nothing. The lids stayed firmly shut. She tried to move her hands, her legs, something - but her body didn't obey. She was starting to become more aware, and more panicked. Was this a bad dream?

She could feel pain at the back of her head, where it rested on something cold and hard. Actually, she felt pain everywhere. But the worst was her head and a sharp pain somewhere on her back. As she started to feel clearer, she realized her breathing was slow and shallow, and her heart rate was weaker and slower than it should be. Even with her panic and vain attempts, they remained unchanged. She was definitely feeling more panic now.

Nausea crept up on her, and she desperately tried to roll over to vomit, but her body still refused to comply. Fortunately, the worst of it passed and the contents of her stomach stayed put. But it was only a small relief. She still felt sick, and the more she woke up, the worse she felt.

She tried to think over what she remembered. A solved case. Drinks with Nell. The cab ride. Coming home. Nothing raised any alarm bells as she played over it in her head. So how did she end up here? And where WAS here? All she knew was that the surface she was lying on was cold and hard. Possibly tile? If only she could move, or open her eyes.

What COULD she do? She could feel. She could think. She could hear. So she listened to the quiet around her for some telltale sign of where she was. There was definitely a humming noise of some sort and possibly a fan? She couldn't identify or process the individual sounds she heard, but as a whole they were familiar. She thought that maybe she was still at home. And for that she heaved a huge sigh of relief - or at least, she would have if her body had let her. Instead she tried to process anything else from her surroundings. The floor was cold and hard. Possibly her bathroom? No light prickled through her eyelids so she guessed it might still be night time. That was not a relief - how long would it be before someone found her? She felt nauseous again, and a chill ran down her spine. What was going on, and what was going to happen to her?

She has no idea how much time passed, nor did she remember drifting out of awareness, but she was suddenly aware of light trying to find its way through her eyelids, and more familiar noises. She could hear a car somewhere, and a dog barking. It was definitely morning now. These were familiar sounds in her neighbourhood. But she was aware of another noise as well. She was startled, but then filled with relief when she heard a very familiar voice calling out for her. She tried to respond - but her body was still refusing to listen to her. All she could do was wait, and hope that Deeks was stubborn enough to break in and find her. She shouldn't have worried - of course he was.

She heard him open the door and call out for her again. Every fiber of her being wanted to yell out in reply. He was moving around in her living room, and then she heard footsteps come closer, and then pass by. He was knocking on her bedroom door. She thought it was sweet. Then she heard him breathe in sharply when her door opened and she wondered what he saw. Had she left her bra on her bed? No, that wouldn't get a reaction from him. What was it? She tried to will him closer to her, as telepathy seemed her only option for communication. A moment later, she heard the bathroom door open and felt the draught hit her skin. And she heard an awful noise come out of his throat as he dropped to her and pressed his fingers to her neck. He had found her, and she felt like a small weight was lifted. Deeks was here. She was going to be ok. He was yelling for Eric, but Kensi didn't hear a reply. Then he was begging her to wake up and talk to him, but she knew she didn't have the answers he desired, even if she could somehow communicate. Something wet hit her arm, and his hand grasped hers. She wanted to squeeze his hand, but of course, her body once again refused to listen. He was still talking, but she couldn't make out his words.

Suddenly her eyes were pried open, one at a time, and she could see his panicked face over her, then a bright light. He was checking her pupils. She desperately wanted him to keep them open so she could take in everything around her, so she could see what was happening, so she could see him. But those brief glimpses were all she got before her eyelids dropped shut again. She tried to memorize what she had seen, although her partner's pained face broke her heart. She realized she had seen blood on his shirt and wondered if it was hers and if so, where had it come from. She was desperately trying to hang on to whatever consciousness and awareness she had, but she felt herself fading back into oblivion as Deeks voice and touch seemed to drift further and further away.


	4. Chapter 4

Nell was worried. Ok, that might be understating things. She was more like a basket case.

Everything with Kensi last night had been normal. Normal. Nothing stood out in her mind as being different or unusual. But today was anything but usual. She and Kensi weren't super close, but they were friends. Good friends. And Nell somehow felt responsible for this mess, even if every bit of common sense told her that was crazy. So when Deeks found Kensi and called Eric for an ambulance, Nell knew she had to get to the hospital as quickly as she could.

As she ran into emergency, she caught sight of a gurney coming in, and a quick glance confirmed it was Kensi. She was nearly the same shade as the white sheet on which she lay. She was still in the dress from the night before, but it had a large red stain spreading across it. The scariest part was how completely lifeless she appeared. Had Nell not known better, she would have mistaken her friend for a corpse. Nell was frozen in place, and didn't blink as they rushed past her. Deeks was holding on to Kensi's hand, but as they whisked her away, he sunk to the floor in tears. He looked completely lost and utterly broken. Nell stopped and decided to give him a few minutes to himself while she went up to the reception desk to let them know she was here for Kensi.

* * *

><p>Callen and Sam were unsure as they entered Kensi's home. Entering her place felt strange, especially without her there. But going through her stuff didn't sit well with either of them. They had very few details on what had happened. Kensi hadn't shown up for work and Deeks had gone to check on her. He found her lying on the floor of the bathroom with a head injury, and she was unresponsive but without any other obvious injuries. Nell assured them that nothing had been out of the ordinary the evening before.<p>

"Are we sure this is something we need to check out?" Sam asked his partner. "She could have just slipped and hit her head." But even as the words came out of his mouth, it felt wrong. Even drunk, Kensi didn't just slip and fall.

"Something about this isn't right" Callen replied. He had no idea what he expected to find, but he couldn't sit and do nothing when his friend, his team member, was on her way to the hospital. He surveyed the room as they entered, looking for anything out of place. "Deeks was right, Kensi could really stand to get rid of some stuff." His voice drifted off. He had no idea where to even start looking for clues. He didn't even know what kind of clues they were looking for.

"Some people actually keep things" his partner joked "maybe she could share some with you." Callen ignored the comment and continued his search without touching anything. He headed towards the bathroom where Deeks had found her.

"Maybe we can start with the bathroom for now" he said. He was secretly hoping to avoid having to go through anything personal. When Kensi woke up, she was going to be pissed that they'd even set foot there without her permission. He was sure violence would ensue if he had to go through her belongings. And to be honest, he wasn't really sure he wanted to know any of her "personal" secrets.

Sam stood in the bathroom door while Callen bent down to inspect the blood pool, now smeared by the paramedics. It had started congealing, and cleaning it up was going to be hell. He took a few pictures of the blood, and then looked up and inspected the rest of the room. Deeks had said that she was still dressed in her dress from the night before, so she hadn't slipped in the shower. The floor wasn't particularly slippery. More and more, he was convinced that Kensi hadn't just fallen, but that didn't rule out fainting or another simple explanation. Still, the feeling in his gut wasn't going away. If anything, it was nagging him more. What, in this room, was out of place. He surveyed the collection of lotions and soaps, and felt truly out of his comfort zone.

"Hey, you have a wife. What in this room doesn't belong, or what looks out of place?" He asked his partner. Sam just snorted in reply. "Come on, help me here." Callen begged. "This is for Kensi." They both looked around the room. Sam leaned over the vanity and opened the cabinet beside it.

"Sorry, man, I have no idea what half this stuff is, let alone if it belongs here." Sam said. "What women do in the bathroom is beyond me."

He carefully looked at the labels on the bottles and thought maybe they should get Nell to come check it out. She might be more familiar with what was beauty products and what was out of place. He started taking photos, and then turned back to his partner when he realized Callen had gone silent. Callen was sitting by the trash can, and in his hand was a syringe.

"I don't think this belongs to Kensi." he said finally. He carefully bagged the syringe. "Sam, check the medicine cabinet. See if there's any sign Kensi may have needed injections of some sort. I'll call and see if Hetty knows anything about this. And hopefully get an update on how Kensi is doing."

Sam carefully combed through the medicine cabinet, taking stock of what was there but avoiding thinking about it belonging to Kensi. Advil, Tylenol, a few old prescription bottles with painkillers or antibiotics from work-related injuries. He avoided looking at the more "feminine" products in the cabinet. A well stocked first aid kit filled the bulk of the space, with all types of bandages, ice packs, heat packs, forceps and antiseptic. There was no sign of anything injectable, and he didn't see a single syringe or packet anywhere. There was no sharps container, and he realized that even the packaging for the syringe that Callen had found wasn't nowhere to be found. He was almost certain that they had found something to help explain what had happened. But he still had no idea what that was.

Meanwhile, Callen was on the phone with Eric and Hetty. He confirmed that neither were aware of any medical conditions affecting Kensi, and that there was no indication she had ever needed to self inject anything. There had been no news yet from Nell or Deeks on her condition, but Eric promised to call Nell immediately so the doctors could be informed that a needle had been found.

"What do you want us to do? Should we continue looking for any more evidence here?" Callen asked.  
>"No, I think it's more important for you to bring the needle in so we can process it." Hetty replied. "We can go over the photos and return to Ms. Blye's place if we feel there is more to find."<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Deeks had no idea how much time had passed before he looked up and saw Nell standing next to him. He knew he looked like hell, and there was no hiding it from her. Even if he'd managed to wipe the tears off his face, Nell was too perceptive. They looked at each other for a moment, before he spoke up.

"I don't know, Nell. I have no idea what happened." he said, knowing the question she was thinking. "Have you heard anything?"

"Eric called me. Callen and Sam found a syringe in her trash can. Nothing else out of place." She paused "The syringe wasn't hers, was it?"

"Absolutely not" Deeks replied. If his partner had any reason to need it, he would know. They were partners. "Tell me what happened last night. Tell me everything." He was desperately hoping that Nell would remember something, or admit something she'd been holding back. "Was anyone bothering her? Did she seem off? Did anyone try to buy her drinks or pay too much attention?" Nell paused before telling him what she had already said a dozen times today. But before she opened her mouth, they were interrupted.

"Excuse me, did you come in with Ms. Blye? We're hoping someone can answer some questions for us." a blonde woman in purple scrubs spoke to them. When Deeks nodded, she gestured for them to follow her. They entered a quiet room, decorated in pale blue and green, with upholstered chairs and no sign of any medical equipment. "We need to know Ms. Blye's medical history and the circumstances that brought her in today." Deeks and Nell exchanged a look. They hoped that between the two of them, they could piece together what the nurse needed to know.

They went over the story again. Nothing unusual. Nothing out of the ordinary. Kensi didn't show up for work, and it wasn't like her, so her partner checked on her. He found her unconscious on the floor with a head wound. Already, they were both sick of repeating themselves. They explained that Kensi was an agent. She was strong and she was a fighter. Nothing could take her down. Deeks went over her injuries from their time as partners. Nell filled in other medical details as needed. Fortunately, she'd had the sense to print out Kensi's basic file to bring with her before she rushed to the hospital. She also told the nurse about the syringe that had been found, and that it was on its way to be processed. The nurse jotted down several details on the clipboard she carried.

"Do you know if she's in a relationship at the moment, or if she might be seeing someone?" Both Nell and Deeks were a bit stunned at the quesiton, unsure how it was relevant. Nell spoke up first.

"No, she wasn't really a... relationship kind of person. She didn't have time, or interest in commitment. But" she paused and took a deep breath "she hasn't seen anyone in that way for quite a while now. I guess she'd changed a bit in the past months..." And she couldn't bring herself to meet Deeks eyes. Nell was very much aware WHY Kensi was no longer playing the field, so to speak, but she's not sure her friend would forgive her if she explained it to the very reason himself. The nurse made a few notes and continued with her questions.

"I realize that some of these questions might be difficult, but they are important to know. Is there any possibility she could be pregnant? Did she have a history of drug use or abuse, especially recently? Any current medications? Any other long term medical conditions? Any signs of depression? Any high risk behaviours unrelated to her job? Has she had any family history of neurological problems or any problems herself?" Deeks and Nell shook their head in response to every question. The nurse continued with many more, before a phone rang, and the she excused herself to take the call.

"Something's up" Nell said. "Not all of those are standard questions you'd ask for a head injury. Something is going on, but I don't think she's going to tell us what."

The nurse returned, and this time it was Deeks who spoke up.

"What are you not telling us? And when can I see my partner?" The nurse looked a bit scared as he rose up intimidatingly.

"She's gone for tests. It may take some time. I will take her to you as soon as she is finished. But for the moment, I need you to wait here or in the waiting room. And for reasons of confidentiality, I am unable to give you any details at the moment." Deeks looked like he was going to snap.

"She's my PARTNER. And I'm her next of kin. I'm also a detective with LAPD and I'm investigating what has happened to her. I need to know what's going on, NOW."

"Mr. Deeks, I understand that this is difficult. But we have no answers for you at the moment. I need to go see another patient now. Would you prefer to wait here, or in the waiting room?" She said firmly. Nell stood up quietly, and followed Deeks as he stormed out of the room. She thought it might be time to call and update the rest of the team.

* * *

><p>Hetty answered her phone and listened as Nell detailed everything she knew. She calmly nodded her head and made noises of agreement as Nell spoke. "Thank you, Ms. Jones, for updating me. Would you prefer to wait with Mr. Deeks or come back and help here? Yes, yes, that sounds like a good plan. I'll let them know." She hung up the phone, and went back up to Ops to speak with Eric, Callen and Sam. "It would seem Mr. Deeks is having a difficult time with things. Mr. Callen, I would appreciate it if you could go to the hospital to speak with him while Ms. Jones comes back here to help review the photographs. Please keep me updated."<p>

Eric had uploaded the photographs that Callen and Sam had taken of Kensi's place, and was messaging the lab for information on the syringe. They sat in silence as they combed over what they had. "The syringe had some partial prints, none belonging to Kensi. The lab found some traces of a liquid inside, but they haven't been able to identify it yet. They've eliminated street drugs and common prescriptions, but it will take some time to identify what it is exactly. It was a large gauge needle though. It would have hurt." There was more silence while they each thought this over. It was a large needle. So Kensi would have felt it go in. Why, then, was there no sign of a struggle? Why hadn't she taken down whoever had injected her? And if she had been attacked in her own home, how had the attacker gotten in? Who were they... and why? Even with the beginnings of answers, it just left more questions.

* * *

><p>Deeks couldn't stay calm. He had stormed out on the nurse, and hadn't waited for Nell. He went straight outside to get some air, and calm down. He turned and punched the wall, hard. The sharp pain was the reality check he needed. But the blood forming on his knuckles reminded him of Kensi's blood on the floor - and still on his shirt. What a mess this was... and he was only making it worse.<p>

He went back inside as Nell hung up the phone. She said she was needed back at Ops, but Callen would come and wait with him. She promised to call if she learned anything, and asked him to do the same for her. He stood in the emergency waiting room and watched her leave. It was quiet, with very few people waiting. He paced back and forth until a tiny Asian nurse caught his eye and motioned for him to come over. He thought perhaps she had news about Kensi for him - but as he made his way over he saw that she had a tray of bandages and antiseptic waiting for him. Somehow, she understood that he wasn't able to talk, so she silently took his hand, then cleaned and bandaged it up for him. She offered him a shy smile when it was done, and said "she's in good hands. We'll do everything we can for her. I promise." before returning to the back to attend other patients.


	6. Chapter 6

Kensi again had no idea how long she'd been out. She hoped she was waking from a nightmare, but the sounds of a hospital filled her ears and when she tried to open her eyes and found herself unable to do so, it confirmed the nightmare was real. She tried to concentrate on the sounds around her. There was a loud humming and thumping noise and no voices. The room was cool, and she could feel the weight of a blanket over her. After some time, the thumping and humming stopped, and she felt the surface under her begin to move. Voices filled her ears, but no one addressed her. Frustration didn't even begin to describe how she was feeling at the moment - she would give anything to be able to scream or open her eyes. She felt her body being lifted and lowered onto what she was sure must be a hospital bed, and sure enough the bed started moving with a faint squeaking noise.

Everything hurt. The pain in her head was still intense, but the rest of her body was catching up. She was pretty sure there was an IV in her hand and she wondered what other procedures she had missed while unconscious. She briefly wondered if she was in a coma, or even if she had perhaps died - but the rational part of her brain told her that was nuts. Dead people have tests run in a morgue, not a hospital.

There were more voices, and she struggled to process everything being said around her. For some reason, her brain wasn't processing speech as well as normal. Or maybe something was wrong with her ears. She caught snippets of conversation and tried to process if it was relevant to her.

"no signs of any anomalies on the CT scan"  
>"GCS still a 3"<br>"bloods are a mess, definitely some type of drugs in her system"

Wait, drugs? Maybe they weren't referring to her, but another patient. She didn't take drugs, and she was careful with drinks last night. There was no way someone had slipped her something while she was with Nell.

"waiting on the results of the MRI"  
>"appears to have been beaten"<br>"Her partner was pissed that we don't have answers yet. He had to be treated for injuries to his hand after punching a wall"

Nope, that meant they were talking about her. Deeks had been unable to control his temper over something. It didn't surprise her he had punched a wall. It did surprise her a bit that he'd let them treat it, but maybe the nurse was hot.

"reflexes absent, patient nonresponsive, possible brain death?"

That made her blood run cold. She wanted to jump up and yell "I'm not dead, I'm not brain dead, I'm HERE damnit! I just can't control my body." But of course, her body refused to cooperate, and once again she drifted out of awareness.

* * *

><p>Callen had arrived at the hospital and spoken with Deeks. He saw the bandaged hand and didn't ask any questions, just gave him a knowing look.<p>

"Did the wall pick a fight with you?" he asked. Deeks grumbled and told him about the questions they'd been asked and given no answers in return. "Just give the doctors time to sort it out. They may not know anything yet." Callen tried to reassure him.

The two sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Then Callen brought out his phone and asked Deeks to help review the photos from Kensi's place for anything out of place. They spent a great deal of time on each photo but nothing jumped out at them.

"Wait, go back to that photo of the kitchen again" Deeks said. Something was different but he wasn't sure what. He stared, blinked and stared some more. It seemed messy, but not the normal Kensi messy. There was something about the way the dishes were stacked and the papers hung on the fridge that just didn't look right. He wanted to voice this to Callen, but thought he'd sound nuts at best, or crazy stalker like at worst. "I think the kitchen is worth checking out again. I can't put my finger on it, but something just isn't right." Callen wasn't sure if Deeks was on to something or imagining it, but they had nothing else to go on while they waited on results from the syringe and information from the medical team. He knew Deeks wasn't going anywhere until he had seen Kensi, and he didn't exactly trust him on his own at the moment, either.

"Let's go through the rest of the pictures to see if we pick up anything else." He decided, thinking out loud. Deeks nodded in agreement. Having something to focus on was helping distract him a bit. As they flipped through the pictures, they saw nothing that would give them any indication of what had happened. Both of them were getting more and more frustrated. Callen texted Sam to see if there was any news from Ops. Nell and Eric were checking out surveillance coverage around Kensi's place last night and hadn't come up with anything suspicious - but it would take hours and hours to go through it all. His phone call was interrupted when a nurse came out and motioned for them to follow her.

"I'm speaking to you as detectives investigating this, not as friends or family. Is that clear?" The nurse asked hesitantly. While Deeks initial reaction was to be angry, Callen silenced him with a look and nodded.

"It appears Ms. Blye has a number of drugs in her system but she shows no signs of habitual drug use. We are trying to identify all the elements in this cocktail. We were informed a syringe was found with her and that the contents were being analyzed, correct?" Callen nodded and waited for her to continue "The injection site was atypical - and it appears there was a localized allergic reaction. In addition to this, Ms. Blye has significant bruising to her back and torso. The head injury appears to be from a fall, but it shouldn't have been severe enough to cause a concussion this severe or this long lasting. A CT scan has confirmed that while there was a signifcant amount of blood lost, it was largely superficial and there are no signs of any physical damage to her brain. However, she is still completely unresponsive to any stimuli, including pain, which is quite unusual." She paused to allow them to process this information. "As of right now, we are trying to identify the drugs in her system and determine a course of treatment and a prognosis. But I'm afraid that the doctors are stumped at the moment and we are not optimistic about her chances of regaining consciousness." Both Callen and Deeks were silent for a moment, and when Callen saw Deeks' temper about to flare, he spoke up quickly.

"Are we able to see her?"


	7. Chapter 7

The nurse had initially refused to take them to Kensi, but seeing the anger in Deeks eyes, she quickly changed her mind and said she would check with the doctors. Deeks paced and fumed while Callen put in a call to his partner to update everyone. He was contemplating asking someone to sedate Deeks when a doctor came back to speak to them.

"This is against hospital policy, but as you are investigating, we're going to allow you to come back to see Ms. Blye." He turned sharply and let them follow him back to a private room. "you are here to gather evidence. We will continue performing our tests while you do so. If we feel you are interfering in any way, you will be removed." he said firmly. Then he left Callen and Deeks to enter the room.

Deeks entered first, and he sighed a small sigh of relief to see that she no longer looked grey. She appeared to simply be sleeping, aside from the monitors and IV in her hand. She was now in a hospital gown, and he made a mental note to ask for her dress. He would wash it for her, although he doubted she wouldn't want to wear it again. He watched the monitors briefly then sat down. Callen stood in the doorway watching, then decided he would give Deeks some time alone with his partner.

"I'm going to collect Sam and Nell, and go back to look over Kensi's place again." He said and abruptly left.

Deeks hardly noticed. He was focusing on what the nurse had said and trying to process the limited information he had.

"Kens, I'm sorry" he mumbled, not knowing what else to say. He picked up her hand in his and held it. The nurse had said she was non responsive - but he could have sworn he felt something. "Hey, Kens, it's me. Can you hear me? Can you let me know you're there?" He was met with silence and stillness. He looked up at the monitors, hoping for a change. "Well, I'm technically supposed to be here as an investigator. If you're not responding I can't really ask you questions..." he drifted off. He reached up to brush her hair off her face.

The nurse came in to her room and told him they were here to check her vitals. He stayed out of the way, but didn't let go of Kensi's hand. When the nurse opened her eyes to check her pupils, Deeks couldn't help but move so he could look into her eyes. He had expected them to be lifeless - but he was shocked when he saw life in them.

"Do you see that? Her eyes - something is there." Deeks spoke up. The nurse gave him a funny look.

"It's a birthmark. Oculodermal melanocytosis." she replied. Deeks glared at her.

"I know she has a birthmark. That's not what I meant, look into her eyes, not just at them. She's there. I know it." He pleaded.

"I'm sorry, detective. She's non repsonsive." The nurse left quietly. Deeks fought the overwhelming urge to pry Kensi's eyes open and stare at her.

After some time, someone else came in. "I'm Dr. Hull, the neurologist" he started "I've reviewed Ms. Blye's CT and MRI scans. We're still waiting on the results from the drug screen. I believe that one of the components may have affected her nervous system."

"What does that mean?" Deeks jumped in, hoping this might somehow be good news.

"To be honest, we don't know. But something more complicated than a concussion is going on here." The doctor explained. He seemed patient - so Deeks felt the need to jump in.

"I know they keep saying she's non responsive, but I swear, she's in there. I saw something in her eyes. Is there any kind of test you can do to see what's going on in her brain?" Deeks begged. The pleading look on his face got to the doctor.

"Let me discuss it with my colleagues. While there is no indication that Ms. Blye is conscious, and she remains non responsive, we don't know what we're dealing with here. I'll see if we can try an fMRI." and with that, Dr. Hull left the room. Deeks felt hopeful.

* * *

><p>Kensi was startled back into awareness when she heard a familiar voice. She felt him pick up her hand, and it calmed her a bit. She was sure her heartrate slowed slightly. She listened as Deeks talked to her, and again became frustrated that she couldn't answer.<p>

She heard a nurse come in, and braced herself for the poking and prodding that was coming, intensifying the pain she felt. When the nurse opened her eyes, Kensi saw Deeks and tried to reach him. It seemed stupid, but she desperately hope he saw her there. She shouldn't have doubted - his face lit up and she knew he saw her.

She wanted to kick the nurse who wrote him off so quickly. She hoped when the nurse was gone, Deeks would open her eyes again for her so she could see him, but he didn't. He kept holding her hand and squeezing it, and it gave her a bit of hope.

When the doctor came in and introduced himself, she listened carefully. She hoped that whatever further tests they attempted would show that she was still here.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before Dr. Hull came back to speak with Deeks.<p>

"We're going to take her for a different kind of MRI. We may need your help, though. Would you be willing to talk to her through this?" Deeks nodded enthusiastically. "There are risks, however. We need to use contrast and while that is typically low risk, we have no idea what drugs are in her system and if it may react with the contrast. She has you and a Henrietta Lange listed as her next of kin, so we need both your approval for the procedure. One of my staff is calling her now. Do you think Ms. Blye would want to proceed?"

"Absolutely" Deeks replied. He was confident Kensi would take this risk.

There was a flurry of activity, and Kensi was wheeled down to the MRI room. Deeks was given a list of questions and directions to go through with her. He was directed to an observation room and given a microphone. He had no idea what all the images in front of him were, although they looked vaguely brain-like.

"Hey Kens, it's me. Again. So, the nice doctor here gave me this list of questions I'm supposed to ask you, and some directions for you. I need you to think your answers for me as hard as you can. OK... so I need you to think about something really happy. And next think about something that pisses you off. Maybe like when I call you Fern?" He was shocked as he saw the colours on the picture change. "Hey, Fern. Fern! Baby girl! Princess. Hun bun?" He was almost laughing now as he watched the screen. "OK, sorry, gotta keep going with these questions. Are you Kensi Marie Blye?" he continued. He was amazed as each series of questions or instructions made her brain light up differently. When he had completed the list, he turned to the doctor and asked if he could ask her some of his own questions. When he was met with a shrug, he went ahead. "Kens, do you know what happened last night? Do you know how the drugs ended up in your system?" he paused "Are you in pain?" the colours on the screen were changing rapidly. "Kens, we're gonna figure this out. I'm not a doctor, I don't know what this stuff means - but I know you're in there and you can hear me."


	8. Chapter 8

When the MRI was finished, Kensi and Deeks returned to her room. Dr. Hull had said he needed to review the MRI and make some calls. For the first time today, Deeks felt optimistic.

"You did good, Kens. I knew you were in there. This has got to be driving you mad, not being able to talk to us. We'll figure it out though. You've gotta be bored though. But don't worry, I'll keep you company and keep you entertained." He started. He watched her closely, hoping to catch a glimpse of a smile, a flutter of eyelashes, or even a punch to the arm for his incessant chatter. No luck. But he knew she was listening. "So, I don't really know what's going on here. Not sure if you do, either. But it seems you can hear me, which is cool. I mean, when I was talking your brain turned all sorts of funky colours. That was pretty cool. Maybe we need to get one of those things at Ops." He paused, refusing to allow any thoughts that she wouldn't be coming back to work with him soon. "If you can hear... hey, can you see? Um... I'm gonna open your eyes. I hope that isn't too creepy. But that's how I knew you were in there, so maybe you can see me." He reached up and gently opened one eye, then the other. "Hey there! So yeah, I probably look like crap right now, but it's kinda your fault. I mean, not that you did this on purpose, but seeing your partner like that kinda does a number on you. And I figured that leaving you so I could go clean up might not be real nice, I know you're not a fan of hospitals and I wasn't too keen on the idea of leaving you alone any longer than I had to." He couldn't stop talking. When he looked into her eyes, he could see life again. And he was pretty sure he could see her wanting to punch him for being so annoying. "OK, I get it Princess, I'll stop talking so much. Or, I'll try. I mean, you know how hard it is for me to keep my mouth shut." He was almost giddy talking to her.

Kensi was impressed at how well Deeks could read her, even without a response. And he was right - if she'd been able to move, she would have punched him. But she was relieved to have someone talking to her, and incredibly grateful that he opened her eyes so she could see him. She was taking in everything she could - the monitors in the room, the IV in her hand, the standard hospital ceiling, and the adorable man in front of her who didn't know when to shut up. She had the opportunity to stare without it being awkward, and she took advantage of the opportunity. As much as she teased him about his hair, it suited him, and she felt an overwhelming urge to reach out and touch it. Maybe it was good that she wasn't able to move. His eyes were intense, but not as panicked as they had been the first time he opened her eyes. She was enjoying watching them dance playfully as he babbled on about nothing. Her thoughts were interrupted though when Deeks suddenly pulled back and her eyes shut. She heard someone else in the room.

"Hello Ms. Blye, I'm Dr. Hull. I was here earlier and I apologize for not introducing myself. I'm the neurologist assigned to you for the time being. We had initially thought you to be comatose, but my conversation with Mr. Deeks earlier persuaded me to do some further testing and we have confirmed that you actually are quite conscious and suffering from a motor neuron impairment, likely as a result of the drugs in your system." He paused and confirmed silently that Deeks was following what he was saying. "We are unsure at the moment what cocktail was injected into you, but we're hoping to have results back soon. In the meantime, your colleagues have been quite emphatic about needing to interview you to further their investigation into what happened. While we are unsure what the prognosis is for you at the moment, it would seem that your physical injuries do not require surgery and will heal on their own. I understand you are in a great deal of pain at the moment, but I'm sorry, we are unable to offer you any pain relief at the moment because the risk of complications or interactions with the drugs in your system is far too high." Deeks cringed, but the doctor continued. "My assistant, Briella, will be here shortly. She found some information about patients in situations like yours being able to communicate through an EEG, which is much simpler than the fMRI you had earlier. She will set up the EEG and help explain to you and Mr. Deeks how it works. No promises - but we have nothing to lose by trying. I'll be back as soon as we have more information for you." He turned to address Deeks "Be patient with us. She's in good hands, and we're doing what we can for her. We'll figure this out."

"Thank you, Dr. Hull. For helping Kensi, and for taking me seriously. That doesn't happen too often." Deeks said, shaking the doctor's hand. As Dr. Hull left the room, Deeks turned back to Kensi and said "See, we're gonna sort this out. But you're gonna owe me big time, if it weren't for me they might still be ignoring you and have no clue what's going on inside that pretty little head." He was sure he could feel the fury radiating off her. It made him grin that he could still drive her nuts, even when they were in this hellish situation.


	9. Chapter 9

Callen, Sam and Nell returned to Kensi's place. Deeks had studied the picture of Kensi's kitchen for way too long, so that's where they wanted to start. The three of them were silent as they took in what they saw. It was Nell who broke the silence.

"Deeks is right. Something here is off, but I can't put my finger on it." She turned slowly and stared at the sink. The dishes piled up in it... Finally a lightbulb clicked. "When's the last time you saw Kensi rinse her dishes before tossing them in the sink?" The dishes in the sink were completely cleared of any trace of food. "Actually, when was the last time she actually ate at home and USED dishes?" Nell was processing this. What on earth did it mean? Someone was in Kensi's kitchen and filled the sink with dishes? Kensi had company to eat with and they cleaned up? Even though this was un-Kensi-like, it made no sense. Sam and Callen stared at her, thinking. Sam spoke first.

"Dishes in the sink doesn't seem like much to go on. Maybe she's trying to be neater? Impress someone?" Sam wasn't oblivious to the chemistry between Kensi and Deeks, although he tried his best to ignore it.

"Well, it can't hurt to take another look. I'll check the garbage. Nell, take the bedroom. Sam, maybe check the fridge?" Callen directed his team. They had been over the bathroom thoroughly but hadn't taken the time to search the rest of the house. He hoped they would find something more than dishes in the sink. Everyone worked in silence until Callen's phone rang. It was Eric. Callen answered and put it on speaker for the others to hear.

"I got a call from the hospital. Kensi's concussion isn't as bad as they thought, but she was definitely drugged. They haven't identified the drugs yet, it looks like one is a neurotoxin derived from snake venom, still trying to sort out what type. Deeks hasn't checked in, the nurse who called us said they're trying some type of EEG to see if she can communicate, so he's busy helping them with that. The medical stuff is beyond me, but it sounds like they think she's aware of everything, but can't move. Her injuries, other than her head, were all to her back and torso. None of it was too serious, so it should heal ok on it's own. They just need to focus on sorting out the drugs so they can treat her." Eric was talking quickly and sounded overwhelmed.

"Thanks for letting us know. Have you seen anything on the surveillance videos you're reviewing?" Callen asked.

"No, nothing yet. Still a long ways to go though." Eric sighed. "I'll let you know. Anything at that end?"

"Nothing jumps out at us but we're still looking" Callen replied. He was discouraged, but relieved that at least Kensi would heal physically. "Thanks for updating us." He said, and disconnected. Then the three of them went back to work.

* * *

><p>Briella came into Kensi's room looking like a kid in a candy store.<p>

"I've read about this before, but I've never actually had a chance to try it. It's so cool! I'm really excited to work with you and try this out. I mean, I've seen it in videos in my classes, but it's not the same as actually seeing it in person." She chattered as she set up wires and monitors. "OK, Ms. Blye. Or can I call you Kensi? It feels a bit formal with Ms. this and Mr. that. I'm Briella." She paused. "Right, you can't respond. OK, um..." She turned to Deeks. "Do you think it's ok to call her Kensi?"

"I'm sure she'd be fine with it" He said. "Just don't call her princess, she doesn't like that so much. Do you princess?" He smiled. "I'm Marty. Want to fill us in on what we're going to do?"

"OK, so these are EEG leeds" Briella held up a handful of wires with snaps on the end. "I'm going to place them on her scalp with a bit of gel to help them conduct the electrical signals in the brain. Once everything looks to be in place, we snap them onto this machine here" she gestured at a machine that looked like a computer screen "and start recording signals. There are a few ways to do it. We're going to start with asking Kensi to help us by thinking something neutral, and then thinking two opposites, a positive and a negative. If she's aware and able to control her thoughts, the readings will be different from each other. Then what you can do is ask her yes or no questions, and she needs to think either positive or negative. You watch the screen here and I'll help you read if it's positive or negative. If things go well, and Kensi's up for it, we can move on to the trickier part where she can tell us whatever she wants through spelling. It takes a really long time though - have to go one letter at a time. So we sort of go through the alphabet and when we reach the letter she wants, she needs to think her positive or negative thought really hard to make the monitor change. But as I said, I've never actually done this before, just seen it done in videos and read studies on this. It's such a new idea, it hasn't been done very often before. It's really exciting, isn't it?" Briella was trying to contain her enthusiasm, but couldn't. Deeks had finally met his match when it came to constant chatter. The whole time she was talking, she was attaching leeds to Kensi's head, careful to avoid the stitches and bandages on the back of her skull.

"Is it ok if I open her eyes for a minute?" Deeks asked Briella "It's weird, but I just want to make sure she's still with us... I can sort of see something there if you know what I mean?" He drifted off, not wanting to appear looney.

"Absolutely! You know, there's a lot of study being done on connections between people that science can't explain yet. Not quite like ESP, but connections between twins or married couples. I think I've even heard of one being done on police partners!" Briella continued to talk about the study but Deeks wasn't fully listening as he leaned over and opened Kensi's eyes. He was relieved to that the spark he'd seen was still there.

"Hi again Kens. I'm sure you've heard what Briella's told you. You're gonna need to focus really hard and do this for us, ok? Answer our questions first, and then we'll try the alphabet thing so you can tell us what you need. Deal?" Deeks stared intently at her. He really did love those beautiful, mismatched eyes. Briella looked at them and said

"OK, I think we're all set. Time to switch it on!" And she plugged in the monitor and started flicking switches. "Kensi, do me a favour. Can you think something really positive for us? Awesome, ok and stop. Think of something neutral." She played with some dials and buttons, then reached over and adjusted two of the leeds. "OK, now I need you to think something negative. Doesn't need to be sad, just think the word 'no' or something." She played with a few more dials. "OK, back to positive? Neutral. Negative. Positive." The screen was showing distinct patterns for each direction she gave Kensi. "OK, Marty, I think we're set up! I'll ask a few control questions, then some medical ones, and then she's all yours." Briella sounded as thrilled as Deeks felt.

"Here we go. Remember, positive for yes, and negative for no. Any other time, I need you to focus really hard on thinking neutrally. Area you ready to go?" Briella looked at the monitor and the waves resembled the "positive" from earlier. "Awesome!"

"Is your name Kensi Marie Blye? Is your partner Det. Marty Deeks? Do you have any medical conditions we need to know about? Do you have any allergies? Are you able to move at all?" Briella continued, making notes on the chart in her hand. The questions continued to pour out of her. "Have you taken any drugs that were not prescribed to you? Have you ever used or abused street drugs? Have you ever abused prescription drugs? Have you ever been involved with anyone who abuses drugs? Do you know what drugs are in your system at the moment?" The "negative" waves didn't budge and Kensi's heart rate had increased slightly. Deeks squeezed her hand and interrupted Briella's questioning.

"Kens, it's ok. You're not in trouble and we know you don't use drugs. Don't get mad at Briella. She's just gotta ask, you've got a puncture on your back and something wacky in your system. We just want to get you back to us, ok?" His face lit up as the waves on the screen changed from "negative" to "positive" "That's my girl." He said without thinking and the waves on the screen changed again. "Haha, didn't like that, did you? I'll behave now."

Briella resumed her questions and when she was done, she turned to Deeks.

"OK, Marty, your turn now. Do you want me to stay and help or would you prefer some time alone?" Deeks thought for a moment and said

"I think we're good. If I have any trouble figuring it out, I'll press the call button." He said. Briella left the room and he turned back to Kensi. "It's just us now. I've got a million questions, so try to be patient with me. Do you know what happened last night?" Negative.

"Do you have any idea why you have drugs in your system?" Negative  
>"Was anything unusual when you got home last night?" Negative<br>"OK... different angle. You've got a lot of bruises on your back and torso. Any idea how those got there?" Negative.  
>"Does it hurt pretty bad?" Positive.<br>"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?" Positive  
>"OK, what can I do?" he paused. "Right, yes or no only... um... do you want some ice?" Negative<br>"You can't have painkillers, you heard the doc on that one... Heat?" Negative. He thought for a bit.  
>"Would it help if I held your hand?" Positive. "Anything for you" he grinned as he grabbed her hand.<br>"You can feel this?" He asked as he squeezed. Positive.  
>"Can you see when we open your eyes for you?" Positive. So he was right. She WAS there, seeing him.<br>"So... any idea how this happened or who did it?" Negative.  
>"Must be really frustrating for you." Positive<br>"OK, I'm gonna walk through what happened last night as far as we know, and I need you to think positive if you agree, and negative when I get something wrong." He talked her through what Nell had told him of the night before, and what he had surmised from when he got to her place this morning. The whole time, the "positive" waves stayed on the screen.  
>"So at some point, after getting home and dumping your purse, but before you showered, someone must have injected you with this weird cocktail of drugs. You fell in the bathroom and hit your head." The screen changed back to neutral waves. "You don't remember that?" Negative. "OK, that's a start. Were you aware when I found you this morning?" Positive. A lump formed in Deeks throat as he thought about it. "You were alone all night, weren't you?" Positive. "But you knew we'd find you, right?" Positive. "Good. I'm sorry we didn't find you sooner, though."<p>

Briella burst back into the room, looking even more excited.

"I've just gotten permission to try something new that hasn't been done before, if you two are on board! This is going so well that I asked if we can try taking it further. Kensi seems to be answering perfectly, so I thought maybe instead of just three options, we could work out 26 more for an alphabet! Then she can spell things out a lot faster for us." She looked over at the monitor, which was registering a very positive wave. "Ok, awesome! Let's try this."


	10. Chapter 10

_Author note - my apologies that this chapter is a bit pithy. There's more action and answers coming, I promise. _

Kensi was relieved that she was going to be able to communicate. The fMRI had been loud and the contrast injection she'd been given made her feel incredibly ill - but it was worth it. The staff were addressing her now, and she could feel Deeks excitement growing as Briella set up the EEG. She laughed silently that Briella managed to out-chat Deeks. She hadn't believed such a person existed. But it was clear she was passionate about her field, and Kensi found that very reassuring. She was trying to listen carefully, and tried to take in as much as possible when Deeks opened her eyes. She could see that Briella was a tiny woman and quite young. She had short, bright red hair that hung in ringlets. She was definitely the type of girl Deeks would be attracted to, but she saw no attraction in his eyes. He was entirely focused on Kensi.

Kensi would never admit it to Deeks, but when asked to think her "positive" thoughts, she thought of him. His shaggy hair, his ocean blue eyes, the way he could practically read her mind - something that seemed to be confirmed today. As she ran through her positive, neutral and negative thoughts, she was shocked to find that it seemed to be working. She could now communicate despite being unable to move.

When Briella had finished with her control and medical questions, it was Deeks turn. He had correctly read that the drug questions had pissed her off - but at least now she had an explanation as to why they were asked. She had no idea how or why she was drugged, but at least it was a start to explaining why she was in this situation.

Deeks questions didn't offer much more insight into things, but she appreciated that his first concern was fixing her pain. She could feel the ache in his voice when he apologized for not finding her sooner and all she wanted to do was reassure him that she knew he would find her. By the time Briella burst back into the room, babbling excitedly, Kensi found herself drifting and unable to focus. She kept focusing and answering questions, but soon she was fighting to stay aware. It was a losing battle as she fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Back at Ops, Eric was feeling overwhelmed. He had hours and hours of surveillance footage to review, fingerprints to run, background and location on any "known enemies" of Kensi's - and he was doing it on his own. He also seemed to be the coordination center for all information coming in from the hospital, the lab and the agents. He was trying to do everything at once when he felt Hetty behind him and he spun around.<p>

"It would seem that you have quite a lot on the go, Mr. Beale" she spoke. "I believe some assistance may be in order." Eric was confused - he wasn't sure how exactly Hetty was going to be able to help him. She turned back to the door, and motioned for someone to enter. "I believe you two are already acquainted? Ms. Sciuto is in LA for vacation but has offered to help with this case." Hetty quietly left, while Abby wrapped Eric in a massive bear hug.

"OK, where do you want me to start? Bring me up to speed" She smiled. Eric heaved a sigh of relief as he briefed her and they divied up the work.

* * *

><p>Deeks panicked when the waves on the screen became unfamiliar.<p>

"Briella, uh, what's going on. Is it supposed to do that? Is Kensi ok?" he stumbled on the words as they poured out of his mouth. Briella looked up at the screen and reassured him.

"She's fallen asleep. It's ok - she needs her rest. We'll try again when she wakes up." Briella said. "I'll leave the EEG leeds on her so we know when she wakes up. Until then, why don't you try to get some rest? It's getting pretty late." Deeks had no intention of leaving, but he settled into the chair beside Kensi's bed. At no point did he let go of her hand, but he tried to get comfortable and rest.

* * *

><p>With Abby's help, Eric felt like he was making progress again. None of the names listed as known enemies in Kensi's file had appeared on the surveillance videos. Fingerprints were running through AFIS and several other databases, and Abby had gone to the lab to try to work her magic on the contents of the syringe. She had prepared the contents and popped them into the mass spectrometer, and set several other tests in motion before returning back to Ops. There was no news from the hospital, and it sounded like Nell, Callen and Sam had come up with very little at Kensi's home, aside from finding a bedroom window pried open. He was preparing to call it a night and head home for the evening when the AFIS search bleeped. They had a fingerprint match for the partials on the syringe. Abby jumped up and called for Hetty while Eric started gathering all the information he could find on Christoph Verette.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

Deeks was unable to sleep, so he settled for resting his eyes as he held Kensi's hand and periodically checked the monitors. While it was evening, it wasn't really "sleeping" time yet for him. Occasionally, a nurse or orderly would come into her room and check on her, or adjust the medication in her IV. Callen and Nell came in to visit, but Callen didn't stay long. Nell sat with Kensi and urged Deeks to stretch his legs and get something to eat. He wasn't keen on leaving his partner, but decided he would grab something from the cafeteria. He left, with strict instructions to Nell to call him if anything on the EEG monitor changed, and to keep talking to Kensi. He ducked into the restroom and tried to rinse the blood out of his shirt. Nell had brought him a change of clothes from his desk, so he slipped into a clean shirt and pants. He made his way down to the cafeteria and tried to find something appetizing. He chose the last remaining hot meal, and on a whim he grabbed some twinkies for Kensi for when she woke up. He was getting anxious about taking so much time away from her, and sure enough, his phone rang while he was paying. He grabbed his food, tossed down his money and ran back to her room.

Nell was chatting to Kensi, telling her about Callen's confusion about the need for various moisturizers and cleansers and letting her know that Eric had Abby's help at Ops. She kept the conversation light, and Deeks could see that the waves on the monitor registered as "positive" much to his relief. While Nell continued chatting, he sat back down in his chair and grabbed the call button to let Briella know that Kensi was awake.

A new nurse came in to check on them, and told Deeks that Briella had gone home for the evening but would be back tomorrow. Unfortunately, that meant that they would have to wait to try her experiment. The nurse spoke to Kensi briefly, asking a few questions and Deeks relayed her answers to the nurse. The nurse made some notes on the chart and adjusted the IV. Nell was amazed at how easily Deeks could read the EEG waves and decided she wanted to stick around until Kensi fell asleep, and get Deeks to explain how their communication worked. When the nurse left, she told Kensi about the bedroom window and asked if she knew about it. Negative. On a whim, she asked Kensi about the dishes in the sink.

"The dishes in your sink were all clean. Have you started using plates and cups recently?" Negative. Deeks tried to suppress a snort of laughter.  
>"Did you clean up and rinse all your dishes when you got home last night?" Negative<br>"Did you use a plate last night?" Neutral. Then positive.  
>"But you didn't clean it up?" Negative.<p>

This made no sense. Someone had broken into Kensi's apartment, drugged her, washed her dishes and then vanished? What was going on? She tried to keep her confusion to herself, so she didn't stress Kensi. Deeks started asking Kensi if she'd slept ok and if she had any dreams about him. So typical of Deeks. During this brief pause, Nell's phone started ringing. It was Eric. She talked to him briefly then turned back to Kensi.

"Kensi, we got a match on the fingerprints on the syringe. Do you know someone by the name of Christoph Verette?" She asked. Deeks looked at the monitor, but didn't recognize the wave pattern. Suddenly, alarms went off and the EEG waves seemed to go beserk. Nurses came running in and pushed Nell and Deeks aside.

"She's seizing and crashing. Call Dr. Hull. Get a team in here. NOW."


	12. Chapter 12

Eric and Abby had search programs running on every computer available. They wanted to collect every piece of information available about Christoph Verette. Despite the pages and pages of results they found, nothing linked him to Kensi. As they poured over what they had found, Eric heaved a sigh. All this information, and no answers.

Hetty appeared, which surprised them both, because of the late hour. In each hand she held a Caf-Pow.

"Ms. Sciuto, I believe this is your beverage of choice, yes? We typically do not allow food or drink in Ops, but I believe as we have a guest, the rules may be bent this evening. Now, would someone like to update me on what you have found?" She asked, as she handed Abby and Eric their drinks. Both took a long sip before answering. Abby spoke up first.

"Ok, so we have a fingerprint match on the syringe. The prints belong to a Christoph Verette. Age 36, works as a bouncer at a strip club downtown a few nights a week. Here's his dmv photo." She pulled up a photo of a solid looking man with unkempt strawberry blonde hair and cold blue eyes. He was rough looking, with acne scarred cheeks and thick stubble on his jaw. "He's 6'2", a solid 250 lbs. He has a few assault convictions, but a ton of arrests. He's been involved in a bunch of domestic violence calls at his place, dating back more than 15 years." She paused and started pacing. "He's also got a few drug charges here, but it looks like this guy is teflon. He keeps getting charged and nothing sticks. But it's pretty clear that this guy is bad news. We just have no idea how he's connected to Kensi." She turned back to face Hetty and Eric, looking puzzled. "None of his cases have had NCIS involvement, and it's not likely they'd have a social connection, is it? I mean, she wouldn't be around scum like that. So if he did this, then what's his motive? Why go after her?" She stopped abruptly when her phone bleeped. "Ooo it's the lab results, they should be ready! Let's go check it out." She called to Eric as she tore out of the room. Hetty smiled to herself, very grateful that Abby was here to help.

* * *

><p>Deeks and Nell were swept out of the room while medical staff poured in. Alarm bells continued to sound, while doctors barked orders that sent the nurses scrambling. It was a surreal experience for both Nell and Deeks as they watched the doctors try to save their friend. It was Nell who spoke first.<p>

"Let's wait over here" she said, gesturing to a bench a short walk down the corridor. "I don't think she'd want us watching right now." Deeks found himself unable to speak, but silently followed Nell and sank onto the bench. He stared at Kensi's room, looking as broken as he had when they brought her in. Nell wanted to offer some words of reassurance, but anything she came up with sounded cliche. Finally, she spoke up and said "Someone should call the team. They'll want to know." Deeks simply nodded as she pulled out her phone.

Deeks was lost in thought. He had been lulled into a false sense of security when he knew that Kensi's physical injuries were minor. Once she was able to communicate via EEG, he didn't even consider her to be in danger. But now he didn't even know if she was going to be alive in five minutes. He refused to consider the possibility of losing her. He couldn't lose her. Never in his life had he been so afraid. He was kicking himself for all the things he didn't say to Kensi when he had the chance. He knew she was there, and that she could hear him. So why didn't he tell her how important she was to him? Why didn't he tell her how much he needed her? So many things left unsaid. He promised himself that if he got the chance, he would tell her every day how much she meant to him.

Nell had made her call to Hetty, but didn't know what to do next. Deeks was lost in thought and she was afraid to interrupt him. Kensi's room was still a chaotic mess of machines and hospital staff. She heaved a sigh and rested her head in her hands as tears started trickling down her cheeks. Kensi's was her friend, and even though she knew the job had risks, this wasn't the job. She had no idea what "this" was.

Finally, the alarms stopped sounding and people started leaving Kensi's room. Nell and Deeks both stood up as the doctor approached them. Deeks silently prayed, to any higher power that was listening, for good news.

"Ms. Blye has been stabilised but we are moving her to ICU. We are unsure what triggered the seizures, but that led to cardiac and respiratory arrest. We were able to resuscitate her, but things are touch and go. If we can keep her stable overnight, we are hoping to have results from the lab in the morning and have a better idea how to treat her. Do you have any questions?" She asked. Deeks had many, but he found himself unable to speak. "She's only allowed one visitor at a time" the doctor continued "but I can allow you both in together for a few minutes. If one of you wants to stay with her overnight, we can arrange that as well. Tell them it was approved by Dr. Minh. I'll take you to the ICU now."

* * *

><p>Abby was bouncing around the lab excitedly. While not her lab, she was given full access and with the late hour, no one else was there except Hetty and Eric.<p>

"I've never seen anything like this before" she said, her eyes wide with excitement "so, there's a whole bunch of different compounds, some of which I've never seen before. We've got curare, and some different types of snake venom, and something that looks similar to curare but I think it's been altered? It's a whole mess of scary stuff, but mostly it looks like different types of paralytics. If I had to guess, I'd say whoever made this wanted to make sure someone was unable to move, but fully conscious. Normally, these would be broken down pretty quickly, but there are some other drugs in here to slow metabolism and keep the drugs in her system longer." She barely paused to breathe. "But if we look at the blood samples from the floor, it looks like there's ghb in her system. It would have been gone by the time she got to hospital. Ghb is used recreationally and it's getting really popular as a date rape drug. I have no idea what it would do mixed with the other stuff, but there wasn't any ghb in the syringe so that got into her system some other way. Whoever did this was pretty determined to make sure they knocked her out for a good long time." When she remembered that this was their team member she was discussing, she froze and started apologizing. "I'm sorry, I should be more sensitive. I'm not excited this happened to Kensi. I..." She was cut off by Hetty.

"It's quite alright, Ms. Sciuto. We understand your enthusiasm and that it is not to be confused for happiness. Now that we have identified the contents of the syringe, is there anything we can tell the hospital to help with her treatment?" Abby looked thoughtful for a few minutes.

"Well, they could start with the anti-venin for the different types of snake venom. I'd have to do some more research about the other compounds though, as they aren't really familiar. Our best bet would be to find whoever has developed this cocktail though as they would be the most likely to have a way to treat it." She said.


	13. Chapter 13

When they arrived at ICU, Dr. Minh escorted them into Kensi's room. While they knew how serious her condition was, they were unprepared to see her intubated with wires and tubes everywhere. It rattled Deeks even more than seeing her grey and lying in a pool of blood. His beautiful partner was hidden behind medical equipment.

Nell was equally stunned and couldn't maintain her composure. It was only 24 hours earlier that they had been giggling like schoolgirls over fruity cocktails. Now, Kensi wasn't even able to breathe on her own. She slowly walked over and stroked Kensi's hand. Looking over at Deeks, she nodded tearfully, then left the room.

* * *

><p>Nell called in once again to update Hetty on Kensi's condition. Hetty could hear Nell's voice breaking as she spoke, and knew that she was struggling. Despite her cheery nature, Nell was a very sensitive soul and seeing Kensi like this must have been heartbreaking. Hetty found herself thinking that she should have been at the hospital with them, but she knew she needed to coordinate the investigation here.<p>

Hetty collected the information that Abby had gathered and prepared to take it to the hospital. She encouraged Eric and Abby to leave, but they both refused. Abby retrieved a bag from her car and came back in with Bert* under one arm and a blanket in the other.

"I'm all set. Just give me a patch of floor and I'm good to go." She said. She and Eric headed back up to Ops so they could take turns resting and researching. Hetty gave a satisfied nod, and left them to their work. On her way out, she passed Nell coming in.

"My dear, you need to go home and get some rest. There is nothing you can do tonight to help Ms. Blye." She spoke softly.

"Yes, there is. I can help track down the person who did this. And I can pour over medical research to figure out how to undo the effects of the drugs. Don't send me home, Hetty. I can be useful." Nell pleaded. Hetty held the door open for her and stepped aside.

"There's a pot of tea by my desk, dear. Please help yourself." Hetty said as she turned to leave. She had known there was no way Nell was going home, and a pot of tea was the least she could do to help calm the devastated agent.

(*Bert is Abby's stuffed hippo toy that makes fart noises when hugged. She often hugs him for comfort and shares him with her friends when they need comfort.)

* * *

><p>When Nell left, Deeks sat down on the cot that was already set up next to Kensi's bed. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but he doubted he would sleep. For a while, he just sat, staring at Kensi. He gently reached over and opened her eyes, but he knew she wasn't there. There was no awareness behind them, no sparkle. It made his heart ache. Kensi wasn't there, and he was terrified he might never get her back. The figure lying on the bed was a shell and he was desperate for her to be whole again. He took his time studying her features, or what features he could see that weren't obscured by tubes and wires. He realized her hair was starting to tangle and gently started combing it with his fingers, careful not to disturb any of the medical equipment. He gently arranged her hair on the pillow so that it framed her face, similar to how she had worn it the night before. It struck him that even like this, she was still beautiful.<p>

He didn't look up when Hetty came in. She sat down in the chair on the other side of Kensi, nodding to him.

"I brought the lab results and research for the medical team to review. It was a rare combination that she received and their lab may take longer to process the results. Now that we know what has been done, perhaps they can take steps towards undoing the damage." She said quietly. "Why don't you rest, Mr. Deeks. It's been a very long day. Someone will wake you when she needs you."

He slowly stretched out on the cot, laying on his side, facing the wall. He felt lost. For ages he just lay there, staring blankly and thinking. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him and he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>At OSP, Nell took up Hetty's offer of a cup of tea before she went up to see Eric and Abby. She sat quietly beside Hetty's desk, trying to gather her thoughts and formulate her plan of attack for the evening. She was torn between wanting to track down Verette and wanting to find something to counteract the drugs Kensi had been given. She was lost in thought and didn't hear Eric approach her.<p>

"Hey" he said softly "are you alright?" Nell turned to look at him and almost dissolved into tears again. She tried to come up with a quick joke, but came up blank. Eric walked closer and said "Abby and I are working through the night. Do you want to join us upstairs? We can take turns napping and working." Nell just nodded, and followed him upstairs. "Bring your tea" Eric reminded her. "Hetty is letting us have drinks in Ops, as we have a special guest." Nell turned back and grabbed her cup of tea, grateful for something to hold on to.

Upstairs, Abby was bouncing from screen to screen, with seemingly hundreds of searches running. When she saw Nell, she burst into a grin and nearly bowled her over with a massive hug.

"Nell! It's so good to finally meet you! Eric has told me lots about you, I've been so excited to have a chance to work with you!" Abby's enthusiasm was contagious and Nell managed to smile. "But wait. First, you need to hug Bert." She held him out to Nell. "Hugging Bert always makes everyone feel better." Nell obliged, and couldn't help but grin when he made loud inappropriate noises. Abby was right. "See, I told you so. Now, Eric has told me lots about you, but you need to tell me everything he hasn't."

"Did he tell you I can run circles around him on these programs?" Nell asked. "Fill me in on what you have so far, and I can take over so Mr. Sleepy head over there can rest." She said. She was ready to get to work. Eric nodded appreciatively and went down to nap on the couch.

Abby grabbed Nell's hand and dragged her over to the first screen.

"OK, so over here, we're running a bunch of search programs on Verette and trying to figure out how he connects to Kensi. We're also trying to track him down, and we've got a facial recognition program going through the video footage from Kensi's place, up to a week ago." She brought up an image of a complicated web. "This is a network map showing Verette's known associates, where he hangs out, etc. to see if any of it ties him to Kensi. So far, no luck, but we've got lots more information to sort through." She brought up another page "We're running through unsolved attacks across the country to see if drugs like this have ever been used, but so far, nothing has come up. But it's only been going for a few minutes." She looked at Nell to make sure she caught everything, then walked over to the second screen. "Over here, we're going through medical journals, news reports, anything else we can think of to see if we can identify the unfamiliar compounds. We're trying to find any research on how to counteract paralytics in general, and trying to find the ones that match Kensi's symptoms best. Oh! And we found there's a researcher at University of Queensland, in Australia, who specializes in snake venom derivatives. We just need to wait for her to get to her office - should be another hour or two. I've already emailed her, but it might be best to call so we can get answers faster." Abby turned back to Nell. "Any questions? Which do do you want to take over?" She asked, taking another gulp of Caf-Pow. Nell was thrilled that Abby and Eric had already started on all of the ideas she had, and she happily took over the station searching for more information on paralytics while Abby went back to gathering information on Verette.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Deeks woke repeatedly through the night to check on Kensi. Each time was the same - she was stable but no improvement. Around the fifth time he woke up, he felt had a nagging thought he couldn't identify. He reached over to hold Kensi's hand gently, and even though he knew she wasn't there, he felt compelled to talk to her.<p>

"I'm sorry, Kens. I'm sorry for all the times I've taken you for granted. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner. And I'm sorry I wasted my time asking you stupid questions instead of telling you how important you are. I can't do this job without you. I don't even think I can live without you. You have got to get better. You have to. Please, Kens. I need you." He found himself tearing up again. He couldn't remember ever having cried so much in one day.

He stretched out on his cot again, staring at the ceiling while going over everything that had happened today. When he was going over the moment when Kensi crashed, he had a nagging feeling. What was the name that Nell had asked her about? The name that seemed to send Kensi into a panic, triggering her seizure? He was hesitant to risk waking anyone, but he needed the answer, so he texted Nell and Eric. Moments later, his phone beeped. The text simply said "Christoph Verette." Deeks felt a chill, but couldn't place the name. It seemed possibly familiar but he couldn't place it. He racked his brain until he fell into a fitfull sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

_Author Note - Thanks everyone for the reviews! Just a few things - I'm Canadian/Australian and as such my sp__elling is an odd combination of British and American. I'm trying to average a chapter a day, but I've just moved so things are a bit more sporadic as I try to unpack, settle, etc. _

_ Sorry to those who thought this would be a short fluffy piece. It's not. Probably at least another 10 chapters to go._

_Callen and Sam have been absent from the last few chapters as they had to go home and sleep - they need to be at the top of their game._

_I hope everyone enjoys this, and I'll try to keep the updates as regular as possible. The plot is already determined, I just need to get it written as accurately and interestingly as possible._

_Thanks to dubigail who has been super helpful with editing and helping me fill out the story._

_The majority of this is fact checked and based on real experiences. The drugs and medical information is **accurate and real**. And while it doesn't always follow hospital procedure, in reality, these things can happen, do happen and have happened.  
><em>

_Et merci à "Guest." J'aimerais bien savoir si vous lisez en anglais, ou si vous l'avez traduit en français. Je parle français, mais je ne sais pas écrit aussi bien pour écrire quelque chose comme cette l'histoire._

Deeks brain was struggling to process the day's events. After the text from Nell, he felt more troubled than before. The name had rung faint bells, like it should be familiar, but he couldn't place it.

His dreams reflected the confusion he felt. He saw Kensi being hunted by a faceless man. There was a shootout, with syringes instead of guns, and every one hit its mark while he escaped unscathed.  
>The alarms from earlier haunted him, and he heard them in his dreams, accompanied by the faceless man. Each time, he watched Kensi go from vibrant and full of life to a cold, grey mass on the floor.<br>He saw himself as a lawyer, representing Kensi with the faceless man as judge. But when he spoke to defend her, nothing came out, and the gavel sounded while the faceless man sentenced her to life in solitary confinement. He screamed to be allowed to see her, but she was whisked away.  
>He saw his parents, his father standing over his mother with a shotgun, then the shotgun morphed into a syringe, as his father became the faceless man, and his mother became Kensi. Deeks screamed at him to stop, but he was frozen in place, and watched in horror as Kensi was shot. As each droplet from the syringe landed on her, she began to bleed, until all he saw was red and Kensi faded away. He could do nothing to help her.<br>The dreams continued, and with each new horrifying scene, the faceless man developed features, one at a time. A scar on his cheek, cold and angry blue eyes, the strawberry blonde hair, coarse and filthy, across his face and his scalp. All these features materialized in his dreams, having not seen a photo of their suspect yet. And when he awoke, realizing his brain had put a face to the name, he felt physically ill. But it was morning now, so he had to call Ops. The phone rang, and Eric answered with a groggy "Hello?"

"Eric, it's Deeks. I need to know - does the suspect have blue eyes, blond hair and scarred skin on his face? Heavy build, tall, and scary looking?" Deeks voice shook as he rattled off the description. Eric sounded suddenly alert in his reply.

"Yeah, he does. You've described him exactly. How'd you know?" Eric asked, stunned.

"I can't remember. But I'm sure I know him. Pull everything you can find on his arrest records and see if any of it intersects with me." He stopped breathing for a moment, then choked as he said "Oh God, Eric, what if this is all my fault? What if this happened to her because of me?!" Deeks felt like he was going to vomit. What had he done?

"It's not your fault. We'll figure this out, but this isn't on you. The fault lies with Verette." Eric's voice was calm and tense at the same time. "This is a good lead. We're already on it." In the background, Deeks could hear Nell yelling something, and Abby chattering a hundred miles an hour. "How is Kensi doing?" Eric asked. "Any improvement? Any news?"

"Nothing yet." Deeks said "But it's early. I'm sure Dr. Hull will be in soon with more information for us." Or at least, Deeks desperately hoped that was the case. "Anything on your end?" There was some muffled noise on the phone, and then Nell came on.

"We've found an expert on these types of drugs based in Australia. Abby is talking to him now. And we've found a bit more on Verette. It seems he has a daughter in foster care, whom he hasn't met. And he has a genetic condition, some chromosomal thing called YYX syndrome? Abby is going to explain it to me, but apparently it can result in aggressive behaviour. Still haven't found a link to Kensi, yet, but we will. Eric is going through your history and his record to see if there's an intersection." She paused briefly. "Hetty is here, and Callen and Sam will be soon as well. I better go. Call us if anything changes." She said, then hung up.

Deeks turned to Kensi, and promised "We're going to figure this out, Kens. I promise. And when you come out of this, I'm never taking you for granted again."


	15. Chapter 15

Callen and Sam both came in to work early, but found that things were already in full swing for the day. They didn't even have a chance to sit down before Eric was on the stairs with Bert, and gave him a good squeeze. Callen and Sam exchanged a confused look at the resulting noise - but headed straight up to Ops. Eric smiled inwardly. Abby was right, Bert diffused tension and made him feel better.

They were greeted by screens full of information. Hetty introduced Abby, who enthusiastically greeted them. She took a gulp of the new Caf-Pow that Hetty had brought her, and then launched into the information they had gathered on Verette.

"OK, so we got a fingerprint match on this guy, Christoph Verette." She started pulling up mug shots, criminal records, job history and more, explaining everything as she went. "We've got a ton of stuff on this guy - but no connection to Kensi, yet. As you can see, he's got a rap sheet but mostly manages to avoid convictions. Witnesses and victims tend to change their mind about testifying after they end up in hospital. He's been beating the crap out of people since he was a kid - likely partly because of a chromosomal disorder called YYX. Has a hard time keeping his job, mostly because of his anger issues, but I'd bet he's working off the books as an enforcer for some sort for a dealer, given the drug connections and the fact that he seems to spend way more than he could possibly make as a bouncer. He's never been married, but he does have one five year old daughter. Mother vanished and the daugther is in care - he's never met her. Might not even know she exists." She paused when Callen's face changed and he spoke up

"Do we know what happened to the mother? Was he involved?" Abby looked surprised for a moment. It hadn't really seem relevant last night, but with no leads, it was something worth checking.

"Good point! I'll look into that. See what we can find out." She scurried off to a screen in the corner, leaving Nell to finish updating the team.

"He's an only child, parents deceased, so no family connections. Doesn't look like he's living with anyone at the moment, but that doesn't mean he's not seeing someone." She turned back to face her audience. "I've sent his home address to your phones, along with his work address. Be careful though - he's not afraid to use his fists, and worse, when he feels threatened. He's definitely been into drugs, but never anything like this." She paused "Actually, from what we can see, there haven't been ANY attacks anywhere in the US that use these drugs or anything similar. We spoke with a researcher in Australia who is studying compounds like this, but as far as he's aware, attacks with this type of compound are extremely rare, and he's never seen the modified curare used criminally before. It was being developed for use with ECT, in combination with several other drugs." She was starting on a tangent that she knew Callen and Sam wouldn't be able to follow, and was grateful when Eric interrupted. She still felt the need to shoot him a dirty look, though.

"There's one more thing." Eric added. "Deeks called over night, and he seems sure that he had crossed paths with Verette before. So now we're running that down in hopes of finding a connection. It doesn't look like Deeks ever caught a case with Verette, but it's possible they crossed paths undercover so it might take a while." They all paused, as Callen's face clouded with worry. He didn't need to say what he was thinking - Deeks would never forgive himself if Kensi had gotten hurt because of him. Everyone in the room was acutely aware of that. But Abby continued. "We're looking into his drug connections to see if anyone he works with or works for could have gotten him these drugs. But we're still coming up with more questions than answers."

It was Hetty who spoke next, as the agents took in the wealth of information that Abby had gleaned.

"Your assignment this morning, Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna, will be to find Verette and bring him to the boat shed in hopes that he can answer some of our questions. I don't need to tell you how important it is that he be found quickly - and that he be in sufficient condition to answer our questions." She said. "Ms. Jones, you will be heading to the hospital to speak with Dr. Hull about the information collected on the compounds found in the syringe. If he requires assistance to connect with the specialist in Australia, Ms. Sciuto and Mr. Beale will be available to arrange a teleconference."

* * *

><p>Dr. Hull entered Kensi's room, Briella right behind him. The cot had been collapsed in a corner, and the only indication that Deeks had spent the night was his exhausted and disheveled appearance.<p>

"Good morning, Marty." He said. "It sounds like last night was quite eventful. My colleagues have updated me, but I'm going to do a full examination of course. Briella will be running the majority of the tests." The doctor paused again, a bit uncertain as he continued "Yesterday, you were quite certain that Kensi was with us, and our findings confirmed that. I know what the science is telling me - but I have to ask, do you think that has changed since last night's events, or is she still here?" Deeks wanted to reply, but choked up and couldn't. He just shook his head slightly - afraid to voice that she was gone, and he feared she may not be coming back. Dr. Hull seemed to understand, and he looked genuinely sad, as did Briella.

"Well, we're going to re run all the tests from yesterday, and see if there's been any improvement since last night. But even if there isn't, don't panic yet. We don't fully understand the drugs in her system, and once we do, we may still be able to help her." His voice was reassuring. "Normally we would ask you to leave for this - but if you're quiet we'll just pretend we don't see you there, ok?" The doctor obviously had a heart, and understood that things between Kensi and Deeks were more than "just" a work partnership. Deeks stepped back, and silently observed as Briella hooked up a new EEG while Dr. Hull tested Kensi's reflexes and made notes. Deeks was hoping against all hope that she would twitch or give some indication of life - but her body remained limp and motionless.

Dr. Hull gently started moving Kensi's arms and legs, turning to Deeks and explaining that it was important to maintain her body's range of motion, especially if she remained like this for any period of time. Deeks nodded and thought it was something he could do for his partner. He wasn't prepared when Dr. Hull gently rolled her to her side and the hospital gown fell aside. It wasn't his partner's gorgeous skin that distracted him, though. It was the horrible bruising that seemed to cover her back and torso. Before he knew what was happening, he bolted to the washroom and promptly threw up. When he returned, Kensi was fully covered by her gown and lying on her back again. Dr. Hull quietly apologized, then turned to the EEG that Briella had finished setting up. The three of them were staring at the wave patterns - obviously unfamiliar to Deeks, but Briella and Dr. Hull looked somewhat puzzled as well. When he couldn't take the silence anymore, Deeks spoke up.

"So what do those waves mean?" He asked.

"I'm not exactly sure." Dr. Hull replied. "I haven't seen this pattern before."


	16. Chapter 16

Callen and Sam left with a list of addresses to check. Eric had confirmed that Verette had no known cell phone, so tracing his location that way wasn't going to work. It was time for good, old fashioned pavement pounding.

Their first stop was, of course, Verette's home address. When they arrived to the burnt out shell of a building, both of them had a sinking feeling that this wasn't going to be as easy as they had hoped. Callen cursed, and Sam punched a street sign. Both were pissed. They got back into Sam's Challenger and headed for the club where Verette worked.

* * *

><p>Nell arrived at the hospital with her laptop and a large file. She rushed up to ICU, hoping against hope that Kensi had been moved to another ward overnight. When she got to level 5, the elevator doors opened and she stepped out to make her way to Kensi's room. As she turned a corner, she saw Deeks talking with Dr. Hull and Briella as Kensi was wheeled out of her room. Nell ran towards them, unsure what to think. Deeks saw her panic and greeted her.<p>

"It's ok, Nell. This is Dr. Hull, and his assistant Briella. We're taking Kensi for an MRI." He said, sounding far calmer than he felt. Nell greeted the doctors quickly, and handed Dr. Hull the file.

"This is some information we hoped might help with her treatment." She said. "It's all the research we could find on the different compounds that were in the syringe." Dr. Hull's eyes widened slightly in surprise, as Nell continued. "There's a researcher down in Australia who is studying paralytics like this, and he's made himself available if you'd like to speak with him. If you need any assistance with setting up a teleconference, we can bring in our tech to arrange it." She felt a bid odd calling Eric "just" a tech, but his title was irrelevant in this situation. Briella had respectfully remained quiet as Nell spoke, but she couldn't contain her enthusiasm as she grabbed the file Nell had brought.

"How did you find all this information in such a short time?! And how on earth did your lab get a reading so quickly on the compounds. You must have had an army of staff working all night on this!" Her excitement was mixed with awe. "Look at all these alternative treatments. And the uses they're developing for this new curare variant!" She beamed at Dr. Hull as he agreed to get someone else to run the MRI while she perused the information from Nell.

Dr. Hull, Deeks and Nell followed as Kensi was wheeled down the hall to a larger elevator. All of them looked exhausted. Deeks filled Nell in on Kensi's uneventful night, and left out any mention of his dreams. Nell told him all about Abby, and updated him on the information they had gathered so far. Then she asked the question he was dreading.

"Do you have any idea how you know Verette?" She asked. Deeks was silent for a while.

"I've been asking myself that all night. But I just don't know. All I remember is his features, and that I hated him." They walked in silence again until they arrived at the MRI room. Kensi was wheeled in, while Nell and Deeks were directed to the observation room, where they waited for Dr. Hull.

* * *

><p>Abby and Eric were still frantically working at the lab. Eric was on a quest to track down Verette using any means he could think of. He was playing with facial recognition on surveillance cameras, tracking cell phones that had spent time at Verette's job and other known hangouts, and trying to get a better feel for the man's routine.<p>

Abby was trying to dig up what information she could on Verette's daughter and her missing mother. It seemed very little was available, but with Eric's magic hacking, and her gift for thinking outside the box, they were finally making progress. She had found the notes that the social worker had made when the child was surrendered to child services by the mother's friend.

The report indicated that the girl had been left with a friend of the mother for what was supposed to be just a few minutes. The mother failed to return after several hours, and the friend (who was child less) didn't know who to contact as the mother-daughter pair were on their own with no family. She raised concerns for the well being of the mother, but the social worker felt it was more likely she had abandoned her daughter. Child services had been called, and the young girl was taken into care that evening. Abby felt there was more to it than that, though... And there was something nagging at her in the report. Finally it dawned on her. The mother's friend had reported that the little girl's name was Julia Martin, however, the mother's surname was Cortez, and her birth certificate had her name listed as Julia Marie Cortez.  
>Abby did a bit more digging, wondering if Julia Martin was an alias or if the child's name had been changed. If so, why? She thought the answer might be found with the mother's friend, so she tried to find more details about her. Unfortunately, Abby was coming up blank. This woman didn't seem to exist, anywhere. She turned to Eric and asked<p>

"Who names their kid Fern? Poor thing. I would have changed it if someone did that to me! But if it's not her real name, why would someone use Fern as an alias?" But she stopped as she noticed all the colour had drained from Eric's face. She was about to apologize for making fun of the name, wondering if perhaps he knew someone by that name. But even that wouldn't explain his reaction. She froze as he was suddenly shoving her out of the way to see what she had found.

There, on the report from child services, he found what may have been their most significant break aside from Verette's prints. The friend who had surrendered the child had given her name as Fern Feldman. There was no way that this was a coincidence - neither Fern nor Feldman were common names, and together they could only mean one thing. With the child's name being listed as Julia Martin, he became even more certain of his conclusion. The name was a fake. A fake name, that could only have been used by Kensi Blye.


	17. Chapter 17

Eric didn't notice Abby leave, or hear her return with Hetty. He was too busy finding any information he could about Julia Cortez/Martin, and her mother, Sara. His mind was whirling with new leads to search down when Hetty spoke.

"Ms. Sciuto informs me that we may have a lead on Verette's connection to Ms. Blye." She stated. Eric looked up

"So, Verette's daughter went into foster care two years ago when her mother vanished. The woman who surrendered the child to child services gave her name as Fern Feldman. She also used the alias Julia Martin instead of the girl's proper name, Julia Marie Cortez." He explained. Remembering Abby, he added "Fern is a nickname Deeks gave Kensi on an op a few years back. She HATED it, but it stuck. Feldman is Kensi's mother's maiden name. I'd even hazard a guess that Julia Marie is from Kensi's mother's name and Marie is Kensi's middle name. Martin - well, I would bet that's from Martin Deeks. It screams Kensi." He was interrupted by the ping noise of one of his searches.

"Bingo!" He yelled. "Sara Cortez was born the same year as Kensi. They grew up on the same street, and went to the same school. So it's entirely likely they were childhood friends." He was suddenly feeling very satisfied with the progress they had made. But it still left more questions - how had Kensi ended up with Julia? Where did Sara disappear to? How was Verette involved? While they finally had some pieces to their puzzle, he wasn't sure how, exactly, the pieces fit together.

"I believe it may be time to have a word with Mr. Deeks" Hetty said. "If anyone is aware of Ms. Blye's connections to Sara Cortez, it would be him." She finished as she left the room. While she hadn't given them directions, Abby and Eric both jumped back to their computers and continued gathering information.

It was only moments later when more pings and bleeps sounded. Facial recognition had FINALLY been successful on the surveillance videos around Kensi's neighbourhood. They had footage of Verette walking a few streets away from her house the afternoon of the day she had been attacked. Eric captured as many of the images as he could, and sent them to Callen and Sam in hopes it may help them to have a recent photo.

* * *

><p>Callen and Sam were not having much luck. They had visited every address Eric had given them, with no sign of Verette. They had discretely asked around, but got the same story every time. Verette had vanished a few days ago, no one had seen him, no one knew where he was. As the morning wore on, both Callen and Sam were feeling frustrated. After the last address on the list, they sat in the car discussing a plan of action.<p>

"If you were Verette, and you'd gone to all this trouble... where would you go next?" Callen asked his partner. They sat in silence, when they interrupted by their phones. "It's Eric" Callen said. "Time to go back, they've got a new lead."

* * *

><p>Nell and Deeks were watching the screen intently as the fMRI procedure from the previous day was repeated. Deeks tried to explain how it had worked the day before, but he knew this was different. Kensi's brain was still lit up in different areas at different times, but there were no intense changes as he asked questions. While her brain responded to pain and touch, it was nothing like it had been a day earlier. There was no response to his voice. Deeks was feeling thoroughly discouraged, but Nell felt some optimism returning.<p>

"She's still responding to touch. That's got to mean something, right? I mean, some activity is better than none." She said. Dr. Hull agreed, but Deeks was still upset.

"It is a positive. It means there's still some awareness. And with the information that your colleagues were able to gather last night, I'm confident Briella will have several ideas to try for treatment. I'd also like to speak with the Australian specialist that you mentioned" Dr. Hull said, speaking to Nell. "We aren't giving up on her, Marty." He confirmed, making sure he still had Deeks attention. "Just give us a little bit of time. And the good news is, that since we have identified the compounds, and we know she is responding to pain, she can now have pain relief, and while she can't communicate how she feels to us, I'm quite certain she'll be grateful for that." Deeks managed a small smile. He was incredibly grateful for Dr. Hull - he really seemed to care, and he was willing to do whatever it took to help Kensi.

As they returned to Kensi's room, they saw Hetty was there.

"Ms. Jones, I believe your assistance is needed at Ops. We have some new leads, and I would like you to co-ordinate how we handle this new information." She said, as both agents looked at her curiously. "And Mr. Deeks, I need to ask you some questions about Ms. Blye. I believe that of all of us, you were the one she would have been most likely to trust with sensitive information." He tried to control the blush that hit his cheeks, but he knew what she was saying. And while he had sworn to keep many secrets for Kensi, if betraying that trust meant getting her back, he would do so in a heartbeat.

"Yeah, of course. I'll tell you anything I can that will help." He said. Nell left the room quickly as he and Hetty sat down beside Kensi's bed.

* * *

><p>Abby, Eric, Callen, Sam and Nell had crowded into Ops. Eric quickly briefed everyone on what they had found.<p>

"What we need to do" Abby said "Is figure out how this connection relates to Kensi's attack. And five heads are better than two... so we need your help." After a brief silence, everyone started throwing ideas around.

"We know that Kensi knew Sara. They were probably friends." Nell started. "Verette and Sara had a child together, but she left him before Julia was born."

"Verette has a temper, and he's abused several women in the past. She probably left to protect her child" Eric added thoughtfully.

"He doesn't seem the type to just let someone walk away from him though" Sam said. "Jealous, posessive, violent..."

"We've considered all along that he had something to do with Sara's disappearance, right?" Abby pointed out.

"So what if he found Sara, and found out he had a child." Callen proposed. "He would probably want to get her back, even if just to hurt Sara."

"But how does Kensi fit into all this?" Nell asked. "They were childhood friends, there's no indication they'd been in touch. And wouldn't Kensi have said something if she knew about this?"

"Kensi is a pretty closed book. And was even more so a few years ago." Callen interrupted. "She's kept a lot of secrets from us. It wouldn't surprise me if this was one of them."

"If she told anyone, though - it would be Deeks" Sam said.

* * *

><p>"Do you know anything about a Sara or Julia Cortez?" Hetty started. Deeks was deep in thought for a few minutes before answering.<p>

"Who are they?" He asked.

"Ms. Cortez appears to have been a childhood friend of Ms. Blye. She had a daughter, Julia, who is now five. Two years ago, Ms. Cortez vanished and Julia was surrendered to child services by a Fern Feldman." Awareness crossed Deeks' face. "Julia was surrendered under the name Julia Martin." Deeks nodded as he put these pieces together. Fern. Feldman. Martin. He knew where this was going.

"What does this have to do with Kensi's attack?" He asked.

"Verette is Julia's biological father." Hetty stated. Things made total sense now.

"When did Julia go into care? What day, month?" Deeks asked. He was pretty sure he knew the answer.

"May, two years ago." Hetty stated. "Mr. Deeks, I believe you may know what I'm talking about? We need to know anything you can remember."

Deeks sighed. He hated that Hetty could practically read his mind. In some ways, it was quite terrifying.

"Kensi and I have movie nights once a week. We've been doing it for a few years now. May two years ago, I remember showing up at her place and she was flustered. There was a little girl with her, Marie, and Kensi had no idea what to do with her. I stayed to help out. We were there for a few days. Kensi left Marie with me while she was investigating a 'private matter' as she called it." He smiled at the memory of the gorgeous little girl with dark curls, chocolate eyes and a giggle that would melt even the coldest of hearts. "A few days later, she came home crying, and said it was complete and she had to take the little girl somewhere safe. I never asked for details... I don't think Kensi would have told me anyway. But I knew something wasn't right." He said. "I'm guessing that was Julia." He was remembering the great time that the three of them had had together. He loved kids, and seeing Kensi with a child was something he still dreamed about. Marie, or rather, Julia, had been such an easy child to care for, and he knew Kensi missed her as much as he did when she was gone.

"Is Julia ok?" He asked.


	18. Chapter 18

Deeks had raised an excellent point. Hetty immediately phoned Ops, and asked for Abby to track down Julia, with instructions that she was to be taken into protective custody immediately, along with her foster family. It only took minutes, and Abby had an address. She was the only child in the home, and had been there for just a few days. Callen and Sam took off, hoping that they would be able to get to Julia before Verette found her.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Hetty had left to speak with Dr. Hull. Deeks found himself alone with Kensi again, staring at all the machines and wires to which she was connected. He sighed, and started talking again.<p>

"I wish I knew what you had gotten yourself into. I should have asked more questions, but I didn't want you to push me away. We had a great time with Marie, didn't we? Although I guess you know, her name is Julia. But shame on you, Kens. Fern Feldman? What kind of name is that? And giving Julia my name for her last name? That was pretty clever of you. I just wish I knew what was going on then. Or what was going on now. Did you know Verette was her father? Or even know who he was? I guess you must have. I have so many questions for you about Sara and Julia... I know you would do anything to protect someone you cared about." He trailed off. Even though he didn't have answers, he had a pretty good idea of what might have happened. Sara was running from Verette, and turned to Kensi for help. Somehow, Verette got to her and Sara disappeared, leaving Kensi with Julia. But Kensi wasn't in any place to raise a child so she had to hand her over to child services. He just wishes he could have helped her then - maybe things would have turned out differently.

He was at a loss for what to do. The fMRI had confirmed that Kensi still had brain activity, and she responded to some touch, but no sound. He hadn't stopped holding and squeezing her hand, but it felt useless. He was itching to DO something useful - but at the same time was not going to leave Kensi for a moment.

* * *

><p>Hetty spoke to Dr. Hull about Kensi's condition and their plan. He took her to his office, where Briella was pouring over the file from Nell. When Dr. Hull introduced them, Briella grinned and shook her hand, babbling on about how amazing their resources were. Hetty was quickly charmed by her enthusiasm. She received a message from Eric on her phone that the Australian specialist was available for teleconference, and asked Dr. Hull and Briella if they were available now. She gave the hospital's details to Eric, and in no time they were in a conference room video chatting with the specialist. While Hetty was interested, she was lost in the medical jargon, so she slipped out the door and headed back to OSP.<p>

* * *

><p>Briella was beyond enthusiastic about the teleconference. She had been reading the information that Nell had given them, and was excited to develop a treatment plan for Kensi. She wasn't sure why, but this particular case had captured her attention so thoroughly that she hadn't been able to think about anything else. While Dr. Hull had many patients to attend to, she was pouring herself entirely into Kensi.<p>

"Hello, I'm Dr. Hull, and this is my assistant, Briella." He introduced himself.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Bradman. I've spoken with Ms. Sciuto at NCIS. She's updated me on the drugs you're dealing with and asked if I could be of assistance to you."

"We'd greatly appreciate that. At the moment, Ms. Blye is nonresponsive, but we're still detecting some brain response to pain and tactile stimuli. Yesterday she was responsive to sound, and was able to indiciate to us via EEG that she was very aware of her surroundings, and able to see when her eyes were opened. However, last evening she suffered from a seizure as well as cardiac and respiratory failure. She was able to be revived, but has shown no response to sight or sound since then. Her EEG scan this morning" he pulled up the files "showed a pattern of activity we haven't seen before and we're unsure if it's related to the drugs that were injected into her or the seizure."

"It's quite possibly a combination of the two. Ms. Sciuto mentioned that the seizure may have been triggered by stress? It's possible that the stress response affected the way the drugs were being metabolized." He started. "So on my list, it appears we have several varieties of purified paralytics commonly found in snake venom, in addition to curare and a curare variant that is being studied for its use with ECT. I believe it's currently being tested at a facility over there. They've also been developing a drug to counteract the effects. You would have to contact the lab, but I'm afraid I don't have the information on which one it is. Perhaps the NCIS team can help with that. But as for the other drugs, your best bet is going to be using a combination of antivenins to counteract the effects, assuming it hasn't already been administered." He continued on with descriptions of possible drugs that had been trialed with some success to counteract the effects of curare, as well as what would need to be added to counteract the drugs which had affected her metabolism. Briella had been frantically making notes, and had messaged Eric to ask him to find the lab developing the curare variant. She hoped they would be able to supply more information, and a cure.

As Dr. Hull and Dr. Bradman continued to discuss the pros and cons of different treatment options, she returned to the wealth of information in Nell's file.

* * *

><p>Callen and Sam arrived at the address Abby had given them. They were both relieved to see the house still intact. When they knocked on the door, they were met by a young looking woman, who held Julia on her hip.<p>

"Can I help you?" She asked, looking a bit worried.

"I'm Agent Hanna, and this is Agent Callen." Sam started "We're here to take Julia, and your family, into protective custody immediately." He said.

"What's going on, what's this about?" She asked. "I don't have any family, it's just the two of us at the moment. Julia's my first foster child, but I'm hoping to adopt her. She doesn't have anyone either. Who would want to hurt us?" She asked, starting to look panicked.

"Just come with us for now, and we'll brief you on our way in." Sam said. "What's your name?"

"I'm Cindy." she said "Cindy Stewart. Um... I just need to grab a bag. And the carseat. How long will we be gone for?" She was starting to sound panicky.

"I'll grab the carseat for you, and Agent Callen can help you grab a bag. Hopefully this won't take too long" he reassured her. She directed Sam to the car to retrieve Julia's seat, and Callen followed her inside to help pack a bag.

Once inside, Callen felt uneasy. He was concerned - something didn't sit right with him. He followed Cindy inside to Julia's room, and offered to take Julia while Cindy packed. Julia happily climbed into his lap with a handful of books and demanded he read to her. He couldn't help but be charmed, and started into the first book she handed him - "That's not My Lion." He was impressed with how she had memorized the entire thing, complete with actions and sound effects. It was when he looked up again that he realized what was wrong. Cindy was bent over a dresser retrieving a spare set of clothes for Julia, and her shirt had ridden up a bit. Her back was covered in dark bruises that looked alarmingly similar to the ones he had seen in the photographs of Kensi. No wonder she had seemed nervous. He was afraid that Verette had already gotten to her - but if so, why hadn't he taken Julia? More questions were crowding his thoughts, but he realized he had to get Julia and Cindy out of there, now. He carefully hid his phone in the book he was holding and sent a group message to the team warning them that Verette may have already found his daughter and beaten her foster mother.


	19. Chapter 19

When Sam saw Callen's text, he ran back inside, gun in hand, and started clearing each room. For all they knew, Verette could still be there. When he heard movement at the stairs, he turned and trained his gun at the noise. When he saw it was Callen with Julia and Cindy, he quickly holstered his gun and escorted them to the car. Once they were buckled in, Sam turned back and asked

"Is he in the house? We saw the bruising, we need to know if he's still here." Cindy looked stunned for a moment.

"He was, but he took off when he heard you knock. I had Julia hidden in her closet so he couldn't find her. How did you know?" She asked as she started to sob. But she didn't get an answer. Sam was driving to the boatshed while Callen called Eric.

"Eric, we just missed him. He was at the foster home. Get all surveillance in the area and see if you can track him. We need to catch him. Get LAPD over there to search for him, we don't have enough hands right now." Eric nodded to Abby, who didn't miss a beat, and in minutes she had LAPD on their way and was trying to track Verette.

"We'll have Cindy and Julia at the boatshed" Callen told Eric. "We'll need someone to watch them, and Cindy needs medical attention."

* * *

><p>Nell was reviewing Deeks old case files to try to find his connection to Verette. While they now had a motive and a connection for Kensi, it troubled her that Deeks recognized the man as well. They had ruled out any of his arrests, and were now looking at looser connections when it dawned on her - before Deeks had been LAPD, he had been a lawyer. She turned to Eric and Abby and asked if they had any way to track down records of his clients. They exchanged a look, and Nell yelled out<p>

"I don't care if it's legal. Just DO IT. NOW!" Both were taken aback, and set to work.

Eric was still managing the teleconference while he and Abby tried to find Deeks client records, when he got the call from Callen. Fortunately, the teleconference needed little help, as both Eric and Abby started pulling up surveillance and satellite footage of the area where Cindy lived.

Nell was already grabbing her keys and heading for the door when Callen asked for someone to meet them at the boatshed to watch Cindy and Julia. While Nell was tiny, she was a good shot, and Eric was confident she was the woman for the job.

A medic met Nell at the boatshed and she ushered him inside. Cindy was sitting stiffly on the couch while Julia explored. Callen quickly briefed her, then he and Sam left to help search for Verette.

The medic examined Cindy, and confirmed that while she was badly bruised, there didn't appear to be any broken bones or internal bleeding, but left with a warning that if she felt sick or dizzy and lightheaded, or developed any further pain, to go immediately to the hospital. Nell nodded and promised to bring her in immediately if it was warranted. Cindy gladly took the pain pills that the medic offered, then turned her attention back to Julia. The little girl was stunning, and full of giggles as she explored. Nell reassured Cindy that they would be safe here, then asked Cindy to tell her what had happened with Verette.

"I don't know how he found us" she started "She hasn't been in my care very long, but I fell instantly in love with her. She's special, you know? Anyhow, this morning I heard someone pounding on the door. I had no idea what was going on, but it scared me. Julia and I had been playing hide and seek, and I knew she was in the closet, so I left her there to hide. When I answered the door, this huge man came in and started yelling at me, demanding to know where his daughter was. I was told that Julia's father had never met her. When I didn't answer him, he started punching and kicking me, but I knew I couldn't tell him anything or he'd take her. I couldn't let a man like that take her from me! I just kept playing dumb, and then when your agents pulled up he took off. I ran up to get Julia before I answered the door. I needed to make sure she was ok." Cindy brushed tears off her face. "What's going to happen now? Can he take her from me?"

"No, don't worry about that. When we catch him, he's going to jail for a very, very long time. He won't ever get to see her." Nell reassured her, "and they WILL catch him."

* * *

><p>Dr. Hull, Dr. Bradman and Briella had been discussing Kensi's case for over an hour when they finally decided on a multi step treatment plan. They were going to try to counteract the paralytics last, after dealing with the other drugs and the effects from her seizure. While it meant she would spend more time paralyzed, they felt that it was the safest and most effective way to bring her back safely and not shock her system.<p>

After closing the teleconference, Briella asked if she could be the one to notify Deeks. Dr. Hull agreed, and went to get the first round of medications.

Briella entered Kensi's room full of excitement.

"So, we've gone over all of the drugs in Kensi's system and her status at the moment, and we've got a treatment plan now to run by you. It's going to need to be done in several stages so that we don't shock her system or overwhelm her body too much. For the first round, we're going to try to counteract the different drugs affecting her metabolism, so that it doesn't mess with any of the later stages. Then we'll use anti seizure meds to prevent any further seizures, we hope. Next, we'll give her some time to regain consciousness, and if that doesn't happen then we can try a few different drugs to try to help her. Lastly, we'll give her the drugs to counteract the paralytics still in her system, assuming her body hasn't been able to metabolize them all on her own." She grinned at him. "What do you think, Marty? Sound like a plan?"

"It sounds great." He said, feeling hopeful again. "But what are the risks? What if it doesn't work?"

Briella outlined the various risks, and the likelihood of each. While some of the possibilities scared him - he knew this was their best option.

"If Dr. Hull is on board, and the two of you say this is our best option, then let's do it." He said.

"Excellent" Dr. Hull said as he entered with an IV bag. "Here's round one."


	20. Chapter 20

With the teleconference complete, Eric was now able to focus his full attention on the search for Verette. Abby was helping him, and bouncing back and forth between his station and hers, where she was searching for a connection between Deeks and Verette during Deeks' time as a public defender. So far, little progress had been made on either. On another screen, footage from the boatshed gave him a live feed on Nell, which helped ease his mind. He didn't have time to worry about her.

Eric had caught a few glimpses of Verette on security cameras in Cindy's neighbourhood, but it was an area with minimal surveillance, making it hard to track him. The last sighting had been thirty minutes ago, but the area was now crawling with LAPD, as well as Sam and Callen. He was getting worried that Verette may have gotten away - but felt a bit more confidence that they might now have an idea of what this was about. He was lost in his train of thought when Abby interrupted him.

"Ok, so Deeks. I haven't met him yet, he's still at the hospital with Kensi, right? Are they like, just partners or a couple or something?" She asked Eric. He looked at her, momentarily surprised. He really didn't know how to answer.

"I think the best answer to that is that it's complicated." He replied.

"OK" Said Abby. "I totally get that. There's two agents I work with who are like that. It's just that everyone here seems to treat Deeks and Kensi like a couple." She babbled. "So what's the history on them? I've heard lots about Kensi, she's the bad ass sniper, right? But she studied forensics, so she's gotta be pretty cool, too. And Deeks, he's LAPD but he works with you guys? It's a bit weird, a cop who used to be a lawyer. There's gotta be a story there, right?" She continued. Eric was glad that her continued chatter and questions meant he didn't really need to answer. Abby continued to chatter, when she interrupted herself with a yelp.

"Hey! I think I got something here!" She said. "Deeks was going to represent Verette when a girlfriend filed charges against him, but it ended up never going anywhere because she changed her mind. So Deeks met with him, but it was just the once." She was grinning "So we have that connection sorted, that'll help." She continued to look at the file, which contained pictures of Verette, as well as photos of his beaten girlfriend. Studying them, she commented "This guy really is a piece of work. Look what he did to this poor girl. And she was so young, only a teenager." Eric glanced over at the photos, feeling a pang for the poor girl, whose face was swollen and bruised, with a cut over her eye and blood staining her blonde hair. As he studied her, something bothered him though.

"Do we have a name for her?" He asked.

"Yeah, she was a Cynthia Smith" Abby replied. Then it hit Eric. He pulled up the footage from the boatshed, and both he and Abby swore. A moment later, facial recognition confirmed that Cynthia Smith was indeed Cindy Stewart. And Nell was on her own with her and Julia. It only took a moment before Eric was calling Callen and Sam, and Abby was yelling for Hetty as she messaged Nell.

* * *

><p>Callen was feeling frustrated when he answered his phone.<p>

"What's up, Eric? Got a sighting of Verette?" He asked.

"No. But I'd bet anything he's headed for the boatshed." Eric said. "You need to get there, FAST. Cindy Stewart isn't a random foster mom, she was Verette's girlfriend." Callen cursed, grabbing Sam and mouthing "boatshed, NOW"

"OK, Eric, stay on the phone with us. You've got eyes on Nell, right? Let us know if Verette shows up there. We're on our way, but we're about 20 minutes out. And warn Nell."

"I'm on it" Eric told him. "But hurry."

Callen turned to Sam, and explained what was going on. Sam pushed the Challenger a little bit harder - they didn't want to think about Nell facing Verette alone.

* * *

><p>Nell kept herself calm as she read the text from Abby. She continued talking with Cindy about Julia.<p>

"So how did you decide to become a foster mom" She asked. Cindy froze, but quickly forced herself to relax.

"I've always loved kids and wanted a family, but I guess I just wasn't having luck with guys. Then I thought about all the kids in the system who needed a home, and I figured why not? And then I totally lucked out in getting Julia! She's such an easy child." She smiled. Nell believed that she really did care about Julia, but was also sure that this wasn't just a big coincidence.

Julia was entertaining herself with a small pile of books, sitting on the couch. Nell and Cindy watched her, both smiling.

"She is pretty special" Nell agreed. "Are you thirsty?" She asked, changing the subject. "I'm going to grab a drink. Is Julia allowed some juice?" Cindy nodded as Nell walked over to the fridge. Cindy watched Julia, which gave Nell a few moments to check her weapon and assess the situation. She grabbed two bottles of water and an apple juice.

"Julia, do you want some juice?" Nell asked. "Come over here and you can drink it at the table." She wanted Julia as far from the door as possible, just to be safe. Nell passed one water bottle to Cindy and opened the second for herself. She hoped Sam and Callen would be here soon.


	21. Chapter 21

Deeks was watching Kensi intently, waiting for any sign that the drugs were making a difference. He knew that it would likely be a few days before she woke up, but he was hoping that she would come back sooner. He was feeling antsy, and bothered more and more by the fact that he wasn't helping with the investigation. He messaged Eric and asked if there was anything he could help with - even if it meant reading through files. He couldn't leave Kensi, but he needed to do something.

Eric's reply left him feeling more frustrated. There was nothing he could do from the hospital. He sighed, and put his head down on Kensi's bed, figuring he might as well rest a bit.

* * *

><p>Eric was a bit of a basket case, worrying about Nell. He was checking surveillance of all the routes between Cindy's neighbourhood and the boatshed, but couldn't take his eyes off the boatshed cameras for more than a minute at a time. Abby was helping him, but she had several other searches on the go, trying to figure out how Cindy had gotten custody of Julia. Finally, Eric found what they had been looking for - they found Verette stopped at a traffic light not far from the boatshed. He was driving a white VW passat, with a child seat in the back. Eric swore when he realized that he was much closer than Callen and Sam.<p>

"Hey, guys, we've got Verette confirmed just a few blocks from the boatshed. What's your ETA?" He asked.

"Still about seven minutes out" Callen said. "You better warn Nell."

"Already on it. Something else - Verette has a child seat in the back of the car. It looks like he plans to take Julia." Eric said, feeling even more anxious.

"We'll get there as quick as we can" Callen yelled. He thought for a second. "Do you know how well Nell swims?" He asked.

"Uh... yeah, she's a great swimmer." Eric said. "Why?"

"I've got an idea. I need to call Nell. Just trust me, Eric." Callen told him, before hanging up.

* * *

><p>Nell was surprised when her phone rang, and even more surprised when it was Callen.<p>

"Hi dad" She answered the phone "I'm at work, this isn't a great time, can I call you back?" She said evenly.

"Nell, it's Callen. Verette is on his way there, and we aren't going to make it before he does. We're pretty sure he's planning to take Julia, and I don't think he's going to give up too easily."

"Oh, that's not so good. What does mom think about that?" She asked, trying to maintain her cover so as to not alert Cindy.

"Eric said you can swim. I need you to grab Julia, go to the interrogation room, and move the table. There's a trapdoor. Jump through with Julia, and you'll need to swim around. And you'll need to do this without Cindy realizing, because if she knows, she'll tell Verette. Can you do that, Nell?"

"Yeah, I agree, mom's plan is a good one. So can we talk about this tonight, then?"

"I'll meet you at the ramp by the fourth boat down. You can take our car, then we'll deal with Verette and take yours back. OK?"

"Yup, all good. Love you dad." She said, and hung up. Looking at Cindy she said "Parents! I mean, really. What do I care what new roof they put on the shed?" Cindy smiled politely, but didn't say anything. "So, we've got another agent coming in to interview you again. He'll be here soon. I'll watch Julia while they do the interview, ok?"

"Can't she stay with me?" Cindy asked, looking nervous.

"No, I'm sorry - we need to interview you alone. But I promise I'll take good care of her. Let me take you to the interview room." She said, standing up. She escorted Cindy into the first room, and carefully pulled the door shut. She hoped Verette wouldn't be able to find her there - and Nell had smartly lifted Cindy's phone from her bag.

Turning to Julia, Nell asked,

"Do you like swimming?" When Julia nodded enthusiastically, Nell grinned. "We're going to play a fun swimming game, ok? I need you to hold on to me, and we're going to jump through a special door, then go for a little swim. Does that sound like fun?" Julia beamed.

"Swimming is fun! And I love jumping into the water." Julia giggled.

"That's great!" Nell said, as she picked her up. She went into the interrogation room, moved the table, flipped open the door and counted down from 3 before she and Julia jumped through the trapdoor.

The cold water was a bit of a shock to Nell, but she quickly swung Julia on to her back and said,

"Pretend I'm a whale, and you're riding my back" Julia happily obliged, as Nell swam around to the ramp. She stayed out of sight and urged Julia to be quiet until she heard Callen calling her. A moment later, she was passing Julia up to Callen, who wrapped her in a towel. Nell climbed out quickly and took the keys he offered her.

"There's some towels on the seats. There's no carseat, but we don't have time. Take her to the hospital and leave her with Deeks. Then come back here - you can interrogate Cindy while we take Verette. Eric is already on his way to the hospital, and he has a change of clothes for both you and Julia." Callen told her. Sam gave her a quick hug, soaking wet and all, then the two men ran for the boatshed as Nell bundled Julia into the car.

* * *

><p>When Callen called back to explain his plan, Eric went nuts.<p>

"That's insane!" He yelled at him. "What if Verette sees her? And she can swim, but I don't know if she can swim while carrying a child! Are you crazy? How is she going to get Julia away from Cindy?" Abby looked at him, and he stopped. "OK, Sorry, that was a bit out of line." He apologized. He was watching the screen as Nell escorted Cindy to one room, then spoke to Julia and led her to another. He took a deep breath and prayed for them to be ok as they disappeared from his screen.

"Good." Callen said. "Once we get there, Nell is going to bring Julia to you. Either you or Abby can watch her. And they'll both need dry clothes - see if there's anything in wardrobe for a five year old."

"Can I make a suggestion?" Eric interrupted. "Deeks is dying to do something useful, and we're kinda swamped. What if Nell takes her to the hospital? He's good with kids. And it might be good for him to have a distraction."

"Yeah, that works." Callen said. "Go grab some clothes for Nell and Julia, and meet her at the hospital. Let Deeks know what he's getting himself into. We'll be at the marina in a minute." Abby waved frantically at the screen, and he saw that Verette had entered the boatshed.

"Hey, Callen - Verette is in the boatshed. And he looks pissed." Eric warned.

"Got it." Callen said. "Go."


	22. Chapter 22

Nell met Eric in the parking lot. He had a bag of dry clothes for both her and Julia, and he had grabbed some juice and snacks for Julia as well. Despite Nell being soaking wet, he wrapped her in a huge hug.

"You are insane. And amazing. I can't believe you did that." He said.

"Just doin' my job." She grinned. "It was actually kinda fun. And Julia was awesome." She gestured to the little girl, still wrapped up in a towel. "Julia, this is my partner, Eric. He brought some dry clothes for us, and I think I smell popcorn in that bag." Julia smiled.

"I love popcorn!" She told Eric, holding out her hands. "I have some, please?" He grinned at her and handed her the bag.

"OK, Julia" Nell started. "We're going to get you into some dry clothes, and then we're going to take you in to meet our friend. He's a detective, and he likes to surf. You're going to stay with him for a bit, is that ok?" Julia nodded. "Then let's get you out of these wet clothes. I wonder what Eric has in here for you." She opened the bag and found two dresses, a tshirt, a jacket, jeans, socks, shoes and an unopened package of undies. "Wow, lucky you!" Nell exclaimed. "Which do you want to wear?"

Julia chose a dress, but insisted on wearing the jeans as well. Nell helped her pull the sweater on, and then grabbed her hand as they went inside. She would change once Julia was safely with Deeks. Eric followed, carrying several bags. The three of them entered the hospital and went up to Kensi's room. Eric reassured her that Deeks had cleared everything with the staff at ICU, even though children typically weren't allowed to visit. When they got to Kensi's room, Nell knelt down in front of her and said,

"In this room is my very special friend Kensi. But she's a bit sick right now, so she's sleeping. There are lots of machines beeping to tell us how she's doing. It might look a bit scary, but it's not. My friend Marty, the detective, is staying with her. He's the one you're going to stay with. OK?"

Julia's face lit up. "Kezzi is here!?" She squealed. "Is Mr. Eeks here too?" Nell tried not to let her shock show.

"You know Kensi and Deeks?" She asked. Julia nodded and grinned.

"They have a puppy. I visited them. We played games. Mr. Eeeks is fun!" Julia was almost bouncing with excitement.

"That's right Julia." Eric confirmed. "Let's go see them." He said as he opened the door to Kensi's room.

* * *

><p>Deeks grinned when he hung up the phone with Eric. He was going to be useful, AND he got to see Julia.<p>

"Guess what, Kens" He said excitedly. "Nell's bringing Julia here. She's going to hang out here with us for a bit. I wonder if she remembers us. Maybe one of the nurses can find some books or something to keep her busy. I bet she'll be glad to see you, though." He couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

When Julia entered the room less than an hour later, his grin only got bigger. She ran up to him saying "Mr. Eeks!" and jumped into his lap. He looked up at Nell and Eric standing in the door. Nell was soaking wet, and Eric was pretty damp as well.

"Thanks for dropping her off, guys. We'll be great here. Why don't you go dry off?" Deeks suggested. Nell nodded and grabbed the bag from Eric, heading for the washroom. Eric sank into the empty chair on the other side of Kensi's bed. He handed Deeks two more bags - one with snacks and juice for Julia, and the other with a few changes of clothes for Deeks.

"So how is Kensi doing?" Eric asked.

"The doctors are optimistic about the treatment plan, but no progress yet. It could be a few days before she wakes up, but I'm hoping it'll be sooner." Deeks said. "At least we have a plan now. And she hasn't had any more seizures or anything, so that's good." He was trying to be optimistic.

"What about you? It's gotta be tough... seeing her like this, staying at the hospital. You doing ok?" Eric asked, thinking how he would feel if it was Nell.

"It's tough. But I need to be here for her. She's my partner. I mean, you'd do the same for Nell, right?" Eric nodded. "Besides, it'll be awesome when she wakes up and sees Julia and I here." Deeks grinned. "And I get to spend my time with the cutest little girl in LA."

When Nell came back, Eric and Deeks were taking turns reading a story to Julia, who was carefully snuggled up beside Kensi. She stood in the doorway for a minute, just watching, then quickly pulled out her phone to take a picture. It was too precious not to capture. Then she spoke up.

"Sorry to break up the party, guys, but Eric we need to head back. I need to interview Cindy, and I'm sure Abby needs you at Ops.


	23. Chapter 23

Callen and Sam approached the boatshed with their guns drawn. Abby was watching Verette and updating them as he stormed around looking for Julia.

They burst in, and minutes later, Verette was cuffed and sitting in the interrogation room. He had taken a swing at Sam, but missed completely. Sam happily returned the blow, but Callen stopped him before he went any further. Callen took Verette, and sent Sam to talk to Cindy.

Sitting across the table from Verette, Callen had no idea where to start. He wanted to beat the living daylights out of him, but they needed answers.

"You have no idea just how much trouble you are in, do you?" He asked. Verette grunted. "You attacked a federal agent in her home. You drugged her. You assaulted a woman, you broke into our boatshed and you intended to kidnap a little girl. And that's just a start. You're in a lot of trouble." When Verette didn't respond, Callen stood up, his chair slamming to the floor. "The agent you attacked, she's a sister to me. She's incredible, indestructible - and she's unconscious in the hospital right now while doctors around the world are trying to figure out how to undo the cocktail of drugs you gave her. And we don't even know how you got your hands on those drugs, or where they're from. So you are going to start talking, and you are going to tell us where you got them so we can get what we need to help her." His anger was growing as Verette just stared smugly. Callen was right in his face now. "So that's where to start. Tell us where you got the drugs." Verette stared intently at Callen and finally spoke.

"You want to know where I got the drugs. I want my daughter. Let's make a trade, then." He slowly smiled - a grin that made Callen even angrier.

"No. Not happening. Tell us where you got the drugs."

"Hmmmm... nope, I don't think I can remember. Maybe seeing Julia would help..."

Callen snapped. He shoved Verette against the wall.

"You think you're so tough? You beat on women half your size. You couldn't even face Kensi conscious, you had to drug her before you could get near her. I think you're a coward. Let's see how tough you are when you face someone your own size. I think it's time for you to talk to my partner." He said. Then he turned and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

In the other room, Sam was talking to Cindy. He told her that Julia had been taken to a safe place, and Nell would be back to talk to her soon. She told Sam that her phone was missing and asked him to find it for her. He reassured her that they would get it back to her as soon as possible. He managed to keep her calm, and keep her from suspecting that they knew she was involved with Verette.

Both Callen and Sam had forgotten about Abby until they heard her voice excitedly over their comms.

"Hey, guys! Something hinky is going on here. Julia was supposed to be in the care of Isabel Hinkler, at the address we gave you, not Cindy. No one has seen Isabel since yesterday." Callen and Sam exchanged a look... This explained how Julia ended up with Cindy, but it meant they had a missing woman to find.

* * *

><p>Deeks had found some cups and a pitcher of water, so he and Julia could have a tea party. She insisted on pouring a glass for Kensi, but understood that she was sleeping. They were eating cookies that one of the nurses had snuck in, and having a great time. Deeks was using his high pitched "Queen" voice, and Julia was trying to copy him.<p>

They were interrupted by Briella.

"Well who is this little princess?" She asked.

"I'm Julia. I'm Kezzi and Mr. Eeks friend" Julia smiled.

"I'm Briella, I'm here to see how Kensi is doing."

"She's sleeping. She's sick and needs to sleep to get better." Julia told her.

"I know. I'm going to look at these machines, and examine Kensi, to see if she's feeling better. Is that alright?" Briella asked.

"Yup. Are you a doctor?" Julia replied.

"Kind of. I'm learning how to be a doctor." Briella explained as she made notes. She started examining Kensi, explaining everything to Julia in child friendly terms. When she finished, she turned to Deeks with a smile. "Kensi is starting to do a bit better and she's definitely more stable. I'm going to talk to Dr. Hull but I think she might be ready to get rid of the breathing tube and move down to critical care." Deeks grinned and turned to Julia.

"This calls for a celebration. Briella, do you think you could track down some ice cream for us?"

* * *

><p>Sam was trying to get Verette to talk while Callen paced outside. When Nell walked in, she could feel the tension.<p>

"No luck yet, I take it?" She asked.

"None." Callen groaned. "He won't tell us anything unless we let him see Julia. He thinks he's going to walk away from this with her."

Nell sighed. "Let's see what we can get out of Cindy, then. Any advice on how to play this?"

"Trust your gut. Try sympathetic, but if that doesn't work then let me take over and I can play bad cop to your good cop." Callen advised.

"Got it." Nell said, heading to the interview room where Cindy was waiting. She opened the door and walked in, placing Cindy's phone on the table.

"Hey, found your phone on the couch. Here you go. And sorry for taking off. We had to deal with child services, and we got Julia to a safe house. Once this investigation is sorted out, they'll review her placement with you. OK?" She asked. Cindy just nodded.

"So, we need you to start from the beginning. I need to know everything from when Julia came into your care, and then go over what happened today."

Cindy started out with a story about wanting a child of her own but never finding the right man, and continued about how Julia came into her care and was the most wonderful little girl ever. She repeated her story from earlier, about Verette breaking in and demanding his daughter while Julia hid in the cupboard. When she finished, Nell spoke again.

"OK, that's great. But we have a few problems. First, Julia was supposed to be in the care of Isabel Hinkler. And second, Cynthia, we know you have a history with Verette. So why don't you tell us the truth this time?"


	24. Chapter 24

Briella bounced back in to Kensi's room, a smile on her face and an ice cream in each hand.

"Here you go" She said as she passed on to Deeks and one to Julia. "I've spoken to Dr. Hull, and it's agreed. Kensi is doing better, and we think she'll be ok without the ventilator. And we can start on round two of her meds. We'll need to keep her here for a bit afterwards, just in case - but we should be able to move her to another unit in a few hours." Deeks returned her smile.

"Great." He said. "So what do we need to do?"

"Well, I think removing the ventilator may be a bit much for Julia. Would you two be ok to go for a little walk? I promise to hold Kensi's hand until you get back." She reassured him. Deeks was hesitant. He didn't want to leave Kensi. But he also knew he needed to stay with Julia and she didn't need to see this.

"OK, yeah. But just a short walk." He said. He scooped up Julia and they left the room as someone came in to help Briella. When they returned a few minutes later, Kensi was missing a number of the tubes and wires, and this made Julia smile. She hopped back up on the bed next to Kensi and snuggled up next to her.

"This is better." She said. And Deeks had to agree. Watching Julia snuggled up to Kensi gave him a warm, happy feeling inside. And it set off a niggling thought that he couldn't be rid of.

* * *

><p>Nell's use of Cynthia's real name set off the floodgates. Tears started to run down her face as she looked up at Nell, pleading.<p>

"Please. I'll tell you everything. Just help me get away from him." She begged.

"Look at me." Nell told her. "We have him in custody. He's not going anywhere but jail, for a very, very long time. He isn't going to he able to hurt you again. So just tell us what happened." Cynthia looked up at her and a story started to pour from her.

She had met Verette twelve years ago, she was still young and idealistic, and believed he truly loved her. For twelve years, he had abused her and controlled her, threatening to kill her if she tried to leave or tried to file charges. The one time she had gotten brave enough to press charges was when she found out she was pregnant. She wanted to do this for her baby and she was determined to start over. But when Verette made bail, he found her and beat her so badly that she miscarried. No longer having a reason to fight him, she dropped the charges and gave up on ever getting away.

Seven years ago, he had started chasing another woman - Sara. He kept Cynthia living in fear as he pursued someone new. But when Sara found herself pregnant, she took off and vanished. Three and a half years later, he had tracked her down, and was determined to get custody of his child. He had convinced Sara to meet him at the home he shared with Cynthia, and when she showed up without Julia, he demanded to see his child. Sara wouldn't tell him where she was, and in a rage he beat her to death. But he didn't know where Julia was and couldn't track her down.

Using his connections on the street, he found out that Sara had a childhood friend - Kensi - with whom she would have trusted anything. He concluded (correctly) that Sara would have left her child with her trusted friend. What he hadn't counted on was Kensi being so difficult to track down. But he did, and he was determined to use her to track down his child. He sent Cynthia to Kensi's apartment to talk with her, but Kensi sent her away. More determined than ever, he went to Kensi's place himself. Cynthia didn't know what had happened, but he came home furious, and had beaten her.

The next day, he sent Cynthia to child services to pretend to be Sara searching for her child. Child services wasn't fooled, but Cynthia had seen them pull up a child's records to confirm her story, and got Julia's location. She took it on herself to go to the house a day later, and messaged Verette to tell him that she had found his daughter. She admitted to locking Isabel in the basement after knocking her on the head. But Sam and Callen had shown up too soon, and Verette didn't get a chance to kidnap Julia. Once at the boatshed, Cynthia had messaged him to tell him where they were so he could come and get them - but Nell had already taken Julia and escaped.

When Cynthia finished, Nell stared at her, mouth open wide... finally she just had one more question.

"Why? Why would you go to such lengths to help this monster get back a child after all he did to you?"

"I didn't want Julia for him. I wanted her for myself. All I ever wanted was a child of my own... and I knew it would never happen. I just wanted a chance to be a mom." She cried tearfully. "But I guess now that won't ever happen."


	25. Chapter 25

At Ops, Eric and Abby were trying to trace the curare variant and other unidentified compounds. Dr. Bradman had been able to tell them that it was developed by an American research group, but he was unsure who. It gave them somewhere to start, though, and Abby and Eric were sure it was enough. It was just going to take some time.

Abby was focused as she bounced from screen to screen, typing frantically and inhaling her latest Caf-Pow. Eric was torn between his work, and watching the feeds from the boatshed. He hated having Nell in the same building as Verette, and wanted an eye on her at all times. It wasn't that he didn't trust Callen and Sam - he was just overprotective of his partner. He sighed as he tore himself away from the screen displaying the video feeds and tried to focus on work.

He had sent the LAPD to Isabelle Hinkler's home, and they had found her exactly where Cynthia had left her. She was taken to hospital with a concussion, but it didn't look too serious. The police reported that she was more concerned about Julia than herself, which made Eric smile. The little girl was charming and seemed to have everyone wrapped around her little finger. He wondered what would happen to her when this mess was over.

* * *

><p>As Sam walked into the interrogation room, Verette looked up at him smugly.<p>

"So when do I get to see my daughter?" He asked, leaning back in his chair. Sam quickly slammed the chair back down and grabbed Verette's shirt.

"Never." He replied, deadly serious. "The only way that's going to happen is over my dead body. Even if you don't tell us what we need to know, we'll find the answers we need. After what you've done, you are NEVER going to see her." Sam was pissed, and Verette's attitude was only making it worse. "So are you going to co-operate and tell us what we need to know in hopes that you might someday get out of prison - or are you going to fall between the cracks and accidentally get sent to Gitmo?" He asked.

"You're bluffing" Verette snorted. "And I think I'd like my lawyer now, and my phone call." Sam snorted right back.

"Lawyer? Phone call? What do you think this is? You may have been able to squirm you way out of charges before, but you've never played ball with us. We're feds, and you hurt one of our own. My boss doesn't take too kindly to that, and neither does her boss. All it takes is a look" he glanced at the camera "and you vanish - never to be seen again. Is that what you'd like? To disappear?" Sam knew he might be bluffing a bit, but he also knew he could squash this man like a bug and still sleep soundly that night. Verette maintained his arrogant demeanor but Sam could see the tiniest bit of fear creeping in. "OK, don't want to talk? That's fine. We have ways to make that happen." He glanced back at the camera and nodded, and the blinking red light went off. Callen opened the door and entered, carrying a large, heavy bag.

"This the one you want?" He asked his partner. "Video's off. Need a hand in here?" He knew this routine, they'd done it before. The cameras were still running, but Verette didn't need to know that. Eric could - and would - erase the footage if it came down to it. But he was pretty confident that one look at Sam's bag of tricks would have Verette spilling everything they wanted to know.

Sam unzipped the bag with a grin. "You can stay and watch if you like. Got the clean up guys ready?" The first thing he pulled out was a smock, covered in paint the colour of dried blood. "Gotta keep the clothes clean, my wife doesn't like it when I come home all bloody." He continued to pull out an assortment of tools and knives, also covered in the reddish brown paint, and lastly a medical kit. As he unrolled the kit on the table, displaying a collection of syringes and vials, Verette started to sweat.

"What are you going to do with all that?" He stammered.

"I thought that was obvious" Sam replied with a shrug.

"You can't do that! I have the right to not be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment!" Verette yelped, the legal words sounding ridiculous coming from his mouth. Both Sam and Callen chuckled.

"Sorry man, you escaped and we couldn't find you. No one's going to see or hear from you again. Guess you just vanished." Callen told him. Verette genuinely looked terrified and he hesitated.

"You don't have to do this!" He pleaded.

"What if we want to?" Sam asked. "You hurt our friend. Now we hurt you." Verette was fighting the cuffs now. "Although, I suppose if you answered our questions nicely... we might be willing to reconsider?"

Verette nodded frantically. "Fine, I'll tell you anything. Just put that crap away!" He yelled.

"You tell us what we need to know - as long as you keep talking, I'll keep packing it up." Sam said. "Deal?" Verette quickly agreed, and started to tell them everything.

"Aw, Darn" Callen said to his partner. "I was looking forward to watching him squirm."

"It's ok, G" Sam responded. "If we don't like his answers, we can pull it all out again."


	26. Chapter 26

Hetty was sitting at her desk, silently reviewing everything that had happened so far with Kensi's case. As she silently sipped her tea, her brain worked quickly and efficiently, making connections and inferences that others would not. She had observed Deeks as he told her what he knew of Julia. She listened to Cynthia's story as Nell interviewed her. She had watched with amusement as Sam and Callen gleefully scared Verette into confessing. And her brain was processing conclusions and observations at a rate that no other person could comprehend. She had a gift. Some believed she could read minds, and others thought she literally had eyes watching everywhere. But the truth was that her abilities were her keen power of observation, and her mind's ability to run thousands of possibilities in a microsecond.

And as she sipped her tea, she was keenly aware that she was being observed.

"Ms. Sciuto, may I help you?" She asked.

"I was just wondering what you were thinking. Your face was calm but your eyes were talking. Gibbs gets a similar look sometimes. Anything you can share?" Abby asked.

"Just processing information, my dear." Hetty replied. "But I believe I may have a few tasks for you to do, however I will need you to keep this between us. Can you do that for me?"

"Oh, absolutely" Abby grinned "You name it." Hetty opened a desk drawer with a key she seemingly produced from nowhere, and removed two files, which she handed to Abby.

"You'll need these. Now come with me, dear. We'll take this somewhere a bit quieter." She said. Abby looked around, a bit surprised.

"No one's here at the moment" She said, but quickly realized how foolish that sounded. Hetty didn't take chances and if she needed something kept from her team, it couldn't happen here.

"I believe we may be more comfortable if we take this back to my place." Hetty spoke carefully. "Just go let Eric know that you'll be out for a bit. Nell will be back soon to help him." Abby did as she was asked, and then followed Hetty out to her car.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Briella was as excited as Julia and Deeks. Physically, Kensi had returned to a much more stable condition, and was ready to be moved to the neurological ward. She would require her IV and continued monitoring, but her heart and breathing were stable. While Julia didn't fully understand this, she knew it meant that Kensi was getting better, and that they were going to a room with fewer scary looking machines. Deeks was relieved that Kensi was recovering so quickly, but hid his anxiety that she could relapse. Briella was just enthusiastic about everything, and looked forward to having Kensi back in "her" territory and on the road to recovery.<p>

When the orderly came to take Kensi to her new room, it almost felt like a parade as she was followed by her entourage. Julia was given permission to ride on the bed with Kensi, so long as she was careful not to bump her. She squealed as they rolled into the private room - one that had clearly been prepared for Kensi's arrival. Two cots were already set up, and there were several bouquets of flowers by the window. There was also a basket of twinkies sitting on a side table, which brought a smile to Deeks' face.

"Here we go" Briella said, grinning. "Flowers and such aren't really allowed in ICU, so I kept them in my office until we were able to move her down here. It seems like Kensi is really loved. You're right beside my office in case you need anything. The call button will page the nursing station, but feel free to knock on my door if you need anything. Oh, and if you check my freezer, you'll find some more ice cream for Julia later. Feel free to put anything else in there."

Deeks looked around, smiling. Then he turned to Kensi and grabbed her hand as he described everything, just in case she could hear him. He settled himself down in the chair by her bed as he pulled out his phone to update the team.

* * *

><p>When Nell finished interviewing Cynthia, she arranged for her to be taken to a safe house for the night - partly for her protection, and partly to ensure they didn't lose their witness. Until Verette confessed, they would need Cynthia's testimony to convict him if it came to trial. Then she was happy to head back to Ops.<p>

She arrived in Ops to find Eric trying to run a number of search programs and looking overwhelmed. As she slid in beside him, he heaved a sigh of relief to see her and to have the help. She looked over the searches that Abby had begun, and grabbed her ipad to take over. Eric explained that Abby was off "on a mission" with Hetty, which piqued Nell's curiosity.

"Any idea what it's about?" She asked him.

"None. Abby never stops talking - but she didn't say a word about this." Eric replied. "Although I don't think she knew until Hetty was ushering her out the door." Normally, Nell would have jumped on the chance to find out what they were up to, but she had more important things to do.

* * *

><p>Verette told Callen and Sam how he had tracked Kensi down through a friend he knew, who could get almost any information for a price. Verette had worked for him previously, helping with armed robberies and intimidating witnesses for hire. His friend had spent more than a year tracking down the mysterious childhood friend Sara had once mentioned - the one person Verette thought she would trust with her life, and with her child. He finally found out that Kensi had become an NCIS agent, and then proceeded to track her down. Verette admitted it had cost him a great deal - but he was prepared to do anything to get his daughter.<p>

When he found Kensi, he had Cynthia try to befriend her with no luck. When that failed, he decided it was time to go with brute force. He used his drug connections to obtain what he believed was a truth serum - which somehow turned out to be the drug cocktail he injected into Kensi. Once he had what he needed, he broke into Kensi's house and left brownies laced with GHB sitting out on her counter. It was one of the tricks he had picked up - women were suspicious of drinks, but rarely of food. He was impressed when Kensi hadn't even questioned the surprise food on her counter, and instead had eaten them quickly. As he told his story, he had laughed and commented on the stupidity of a trained agent to eat the brownies, not knowing where they had come from, but quickly stopped when Sam reached for his bag and Callen shot a murderous glance Verette's way. They knew that Kensi likely thought they were left by her blond haired partner.

It only took minutes before she was incapacitated and he had dragged her to the bathroom. While doing so, he came across a photograph of Kensi and Deeks, and immediately recognized the former public defender. This caused him to lose control of his anger, and he repeatedly punched and kicked Kensi until she woke up. He demanded to know where Julia was, but she refused to say anything. When she tried to kick him, he injected her with the syringe, hoping it would make her talk. The pain had jolted her into action, launching herself at him, but the drugs rapidly took effect and she dropped and hit her head. When he realized that he wasn't going to get any information from her, he had quickly tried to erase any evidence of being there, including washing the dishes. But somehow, he forgot the syringe.

He quickly gave up the name of the NCIS employee who had provided information about Kensi, the friend he had hired, and his drug connection. Eric and Nell would have a search on them completed by the time Callen and Sam arrived back at Ops.

His next plan was to have Cynthia go to child services, pretending to be Sara. And while it hadn't worked, Cynthia had still gotten the information needed. Had Callen and Sam not arrived when they did, he would have arrived to kidnap Julia moments later.


	27. Chapter 27

Three days later, Verette agreed to a plea bargain that would send him to prison for 25 years. His drug connection and informant had been charged, along with a low level employee at NCIS who was selling information. Cynthia was not charged, and was placed in a women's shelter to get the support she would need to start over.

Eric, Nell and Abby had tracked down the pharmaceutical company, PharmaCoutts, who were developing the drug cocktail. The combination that Kensi had received was one that was rejected at the animal trial phase, but was improperly disposed of and had gotten into the hands of Verette's drug connection. Fortunately, he had only given one sample to Verette and the rest had yet to hit the streets. Nell personally ensured it was incinerated at OSP.

Hetty and Abby had spent a significant number of hours together plotting and scheming, but had yet to disclose anything. Nell and Eric were doing their best to figure out what the two were up to, but had come up blank so far.

Julia and Deeks had refused to leave the hospital, staying by Kensi's side. Julia would go for a walk with Nell or play with Callen or Sam when they visited, but stubbornly insisted she was staying with "Mr. Eeks" until Kensi woke up. Maria had visited twice and voiced her concerns, but as there were no foster homes available at the moment, she allowed Julia to stay with Deeks instead of sending her to a group home. Isabelle had recovered from her concussion, but decided she no longer wished to be a foster mom.

The NCIS employee was a low level computer tech who had somehow gotten Kensi's personal information. He was fired, and charged and was now awaiting trial. The drug dealer was charged and agreed to provide information in exchange for lesser charges, but would still be serving a long time in prison. Verette's friend was on the run, but everyone was confident it wouldn't be for long.

Everything was coming together and the case was solved - but Kensi had still not woken up. Her third round of treatment was complete, and her fourth should have been completed the day before. Briella and Dr. Hull had spent hours studying her EEG and conferring with Dr. Bradman. Pharmacoutts had provided all the information they could including several other treatment options - but they were yet to be tested in humans and had largely failed in animal trials. Her body had physically recovered, and her reflexes were returning. Dr. Hull was confident she would regain full motor control - if she would only wake up.

* * *

><p>Abby was preparing to head back to Washington. Director Vance had granted her additional vacation time to be used at a later date, as she ended up working during this vacation, but her services were needed now and her team missed her. Before she could leave, though, she and Hetty had decided to bring Nell and Eric into their "scheming." The four of them sat in Ops as Hetty and Abby detailed what they had completed, and what Nell and Eric would need to do in order to complete the plan. Nell and Eric grinned at each other and readily agreed. Then Hetty stepped out.<p>

Abby hugged them both and made them promise to keep in touch. Then she whipped out a bag that had been hiding.

"I have something for your team. I think you guys will appreciate it - and I'm sure it'll get lots of use." She said. Eric and Nell exchanged confused looks as they reached for the bag. Sure enough, it made a loud farting noise and they grinned as they pulled it out of the bag. "His name is Kurt. I couldn't leave Bert but you guys need him, especially until Kensi wakes up. So you have your own now!" She grinned. They were interrupted when Nell's phone rang.

"I was supposed to take Julia to lunch!" She yelped. "I've gotta run. I'm late." She gave Abby a quick hug as she left, yelling "talk to you soon" over her shoulder. Eric stared after her then turned back to Abby.

"So when are you going to do something about that?" Abby asked slyly. Eric looked stunned for a moment then quickly wiped his face blank.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He stammered.

"Sure you don't." Abby said. "Just like Deeks and Kensi don't have a 'thing'" she laughed. "I look forward to hearing all about it when we chat next." She told him, as she gave him one last hug and gathered her things to go.

* * *

><p>Now, a week since Nell and Kensi had gone for drinks, Nell found herself sitting with her friend while Deeks had a quick shower and Julia was playing with Callen at the playroom on the pediatrics ward.<p>

Deeks had requested that everyone spoke to Kensi as if she were conscious, and that they continue to update her on everything relevant to work. Nell sighed, as she started on today's updates.

"No new cases today. Callen and Sam spent the day wrapping up paperwork from the Marine's wife's suicide that I told you about yesterday. It was sad, but nothing too complicated. She had a history of depression, left a note - her husband admitted he had seen it coming but didn't know how to stop her. Poor woman." Nell's voice drifted off. "Abby had to go back to Washington. But she left a gift for us in Ops. The team is now the proud owner of Kurt, a farting hippo to match Abby's Bert. It's pretty cute, and she was right - it's hard to be sad when you're hugging a farting hippo. She calls every day to ask if you've woken up. She's bummed she didn't get to talk to you before going. I don't know if you remember, but she did visit a few times. Threatened to send her team to kick your butt if you didn't wake up, but we all told her you could take them. She wants to see you spar with a member of her team, this former Mossad assassin. Thinks it would be the fight of the century, or even the millenium. She's already taking bets on it, so you'd better wake up and get back into shape." Her voice trailed off again. She knew Deeks was religiously doing the exercises that Dr. Hull had shown him so that Kensi's muscles wouldn't atrophy, but there was only so much he could do.

"Kensi, we need you to wake up" she pleaded quietly. "We got them, Verette and everyone else involved in this. It's safe to wake up now. We need you. Deeks and Julia need you. And I need you. Who else am I going to talk to about" she paused to look around and make sure no one was around "Eric" she whispered the last word. "We need you back with us Kensi. Everyone misses you."

"Especially me" Deeks interrupted her. He had showered in record time and hadn't even bothered drying his hair before throwing on clean clothes. He sat back down in his chair - essentially his home for the past several days - and reached out for Kensi's hand. "Exercise time, princess." He said. "Want to stick around for a bit?" He asked Nell. She checked her watch.

"Yeah, for a a bit."

* * *

><p>Eric had stayed at Ops late, killing time until he picked Nell up from the hospital. He was still puttering away at some open but non-urgent cases when Hetty came in.<p>

"I believe it is past time to go home, Mr. Beale." She told him.

"Yeah, I was just heading out. Trying to catch up on some of the work we're behind on, that's all." He reassured her.

"Ms. Jones will be waiting for you. Why don't you join her for her visit. Mr. Deeks would probably enjoy your company." She suggested. Eric knew she was right, so he grabbed his bag and left for the hospital.

When he arrived, Nell was helping Deeks with Kensi's stretches. He stood awkwardly at the door for a moment before he knocked.

"Come on in, no need to knock here." Deeks said. "We're almost finished up, but if you guys need to go, I'm good here. Julia's gone back to Sam's place for dinner but she'll be back soon." He told them. Eric was a bit flustered. He hadn't visited often - he didn't know what to say or do. He could tell Deeks was trying to keep an upbeat demeanor but Eric could see how poorly he was doing. Hetty was right.

"I can stay for a bit if you want the company." He said as he came in and sat next to Nell.

"Hey Kens, Eric is here." Deeks said as he went about his work. "Eric, wanna tell us how things are going back at Ops?" He asked. Eric looked awkwardly at Nell, who nodded, so he started babbling on about work. When Deeks finished and Eric had run out of things to say, Nell spoke up.

"I think we'd better be going." She said as she stood up. "Good night Deeks. Good night Kensi. See you tomorrow." Eric echoed her, and followed her out of the room. They had barely left the room when Eric spoke up.

"Are you sure Hetty was right about" Nell cut him off with a hiss.

"Shht! We can't talk about that here." She reminded him. "Not until all the paperwork has been approved." He nodded as they walked out in silence.

It wasn't until they got to the car that Eric realized Nell's face was streaked with tears. Without thinking he reached out to hug her.

"It's going to be ok" he reassured Nell, assuming her tears were for Kensi.

"But it's not." She sighed. "It could have been me. If this can happen to someone as invincible as Kensi, it could happen to me." She paused anxiously looking at Eric. "Kensi had it all going for her. She's brave and strong and beautiful and she's got Deeks... and now it's all falling apart. Even if she wakes up, who knows if she'll recover. And if something can take down Kensi... what about me? I'm none of those things." Eric looked into her eyes.

"You're all those things, Nell. And maybe I'm not Deeks... but you've got me." He told her. "And I would do for you everything he's doing for her." he said firmly, "Now let's get you home. You need to get dinner. And rest."


	28. Chapter 28

It was now ten days since Kensi had been attacked. Deeks had yet to leave the hospital since she was admitted, and his friends and the hospital staff were getting more and more concerned. They had all suggested in their own way that he needed to take time for himself - surf, eat, check on Monty - but he refused. He wasn't leaving her side. Finally, Hetty called Nate home to speak with him - but he was still a day away.

Julia, too, wasn't leaving. She had charmed the hospital staff and other patients on the ward. Everyone loved her and they were grateful for the little girl's warm laughter and the smiles she brought. However, Maria was getting more and more concerned that this was not the place for a young child. She had indicated several days ago that it was time for Julia to go to a group home, but Hetty intervened every time. She was worried that Deeks would be far worse off if he lost the one bright spot he had found in this mess.

It was getting late in the day, so Deeks was getting ready to read a bedtime story to Julia as he did every night.

"Good Night, Kezzi" she said, giving her a big hug and a kiss, and then curling up beside her. Deeks gently placed Kensi's arm around her.

He gently stroked Julia's hair as he read her a story, and then started talking to Kensi.

"She's dying for you to wake up, you know. They've offered to take her to a new home, but she won't leave. Hetty keeps blocking them but she can't keep it up forever. And aside from a walk or trip to the playroom upstairs, she really doesn't leave you. It's not the best place for a five year old to live though, so we need you to wake up Kens. She's not going to leave, and neither am I. Not until you're awake and we know you're ok." He told her. "Everyone visited you today. We were hoping this might be it. They keep hoping you'll wake up when they're here." He drifted off. "I miss you, princess. It's not the same without you punching me, or giving me a hard time. And apparently Callen and Sam can't focus without our bickering. Who would have thought?" He chuckled quietly. "But yeah, we really do need you back. I need you back." He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, then picked up her brush and started working through her long locks. He got a cloth and gently washed her face, and then reached for her hand as he sat back down. Julia was now snoring tiny little whuffly snores, indicating she was sound asleep. He stretched out on his cot, and dozed off holding her hand.

His dreams tonight were familiar. They had happened several times over the past few days. It started off with nightmares about Kensi's attack and finding her, then moved on to her waking up. He dreamed of taking Kensi and Julia home with him, and of the three of them as a family. He saw himself teaching Julia to surf, while Kensi watched from shore. He saw an older Julia following Kensi's careful moves as she handled knives and learned to shoot. He saw the three of them together, sitting down for meals, with Monty beside them. He knew it was unrealistic but it didn't make him want it any less. And he was always crushed when he woke up to reality - Kensi in a hospital bed, and no way for Julia to be theirs.

But tonight was different. When he woke up, it was to Julia shaking him.

"Wake up, Mr. Eeeks! Wake up!" She yelled excitedly.

"What's wrong, Julia? And I told you, you can call me Marty." He mumbled. But he quickly realized that she was shaking him with both hands - while a third hand squeezed his tightly. His eyes flew open as he realized what this might mean - and the first thing he saw was his partner's beautiful, mismatched eyes staring back at him as she broke into a weak smile.

* * *

><p>Kensi knew she had been asleep for ages, but truly had no idea how long. She had had brief periods of awareness, long enough to twitch or catch a few seconds of sound, but she was always pulled back by the exhaustion and darkness that plagued her. She knew time had passed, and her friends had visited her, but she had no idea for how long. She was aware of a warmth at her side many times, and occasionally a childish giggle. She heard Deeks voice, soft and comforting, begging her to come back.<p>

But this time when she awoke, it was different. She felt it the moment she became aware - she felt stronger. She managed to throw her eyes open and discover a dark hospital room. Slowly, she managed to move and look down at the beautiful little girl snuggled against her. She gasped - it was Julia. How was Julia here? Her memory was a foggy mess. She squeezed the hand in hers, knowing it was Deeks without having to look. Slowly, her head turned and she was able to take in the sight of him. He had a smile on his lips, obviously in the midst of a pleasant dream, but otherwise he looked terrible. His hair was a mess and he had lost weight. She wondered what had happened to him, and to her, for them to be in such a state. Suddenly, the warm body next to her was squirming and woke up, looking at her with a stunned expression.

"Kezzi!" She screamed. "Kezzi you're awake!" She repeated, as she launched herself at her friend and hugged her tightly. Kensi hugged her back as best she could, still weak. "I have to wake up Mr. Eeks!" Julia exclaimed as she started shaking Deeks and calling him. Kensi couldn't help but grin as he groggily answered the young girl's frantic calling. She squeezed his hand, wishing she could throw herself at him with the same enthusiasm as Julia. But when he opened his eyes and stared back at hers, that was enough for her and she broke into a smile.


	29. Chapter 29

It was 5 more days before Kensi could be discharged into Deeks' care. The team had set up a schedule to help out, as she would require help with most daily tasks until her body had fully healed. While she was regaining most use of her limbs, she still struggled with basic tasks. Doctors advised it would require months of physical therapy before she could return to work, even just at her desk. While she was obviously unhappy with this arrangement, she knew she was lucky to have survived, and she was blessed to have her friends rallying to support her.

After waking up, Deeks had tried to ask what she remembered, but everything from the night in question was blank. He helped her piece together what they knew from Verette, and told her everything that happened from the moments Deeks had found her. He was glad that she had very little memory of being trapped.

He had finally agreed to go home two days before she was to be discharged. He quickly cleaned his apartment and packed a bag - they would have to stay at Kensi's as he had too many stairs to his place. He had a short rest in his own bed, and retrieved Monty before heading to Kensi's.

He was amazed when he saw that the team had already been hard at work. Kensi's place was spotless and had been set up in such a way that she could get around easily. He walked to her room, and then to the spare bedroom, expecting to see that it would be set up for him to use. Instead, he gasped with shock.

Kensi's second bedroom had been transformed into a princess paradise. A pink canopy bed sat where a basic double bed once had. Kensi's boxes had disappeared, and instead there was a bookcase full of books, and shelves full of toys perfect for a little girl. He teared up at the realization of what this meant when his eyes fell on a name plaque with a ballerina that read "Julia" and pulled out his phone, dialing Nell. When she answered, he was still speechless as she heard her start to laugh.

"You're on speaker, Deeks! Surprised at what you found at Kensi's?" She asked. "We didn't want to tell you guys until everything was cleared - but you've been approved to be Julia's foster parents. Assuming, of course, you want to keep her around?" Her voice drifted off playfully. Finally he found his voice.

"Hell yes!" He replied. "Absolutely! But how on earth did you guys pull this off."

"You'll need to take that up with Hetty." Nell told him. "She pulled a lot of strings, and Eric may have forged your signature a few times... but we didn't think you'd be too mad."

"This is the second best thing that has happened all week." He told her. "I don't know how we'll ever thank you. Wait, has anyone told Kensi about this yet?" He asked.

"Nope. We were planning to surprise her when you bring her home. We've been planning a welcome home party for Kensi and Julia together. Julia hasn't been told yet, either."

* * *

><p>It was discharge day. Kensi was crazy excited to finally be leaving the hospital. Maria had come to check on Julia and given into both Julia and Kensi's pleading to be allowed one more day together. Callen and Sam had come to escort them home. Kensi was mildly disappointed that Deeks had left an hour earlier - but she couldn't complain. She thought he needed some space before becoming her full time carer at home and a wave of guilt flooded her. Maybe she shouldn't be leaving yet.<p>

That thought was quickly put out of her mind as she transferred to the requisite wheelchair and allowed Sam to push her to the car, while Callen carried their bags and held Julia's hand. They arrived at Kensi's SRX and she was briefly surprised.

"Who has been driving my car, and who gave them permission?!" She exclaimed.

"Relax, Kens. Deeks moved it here this morning. We thought it would be more comfortable than Sam's challenger, and it was easier to put Julia's booster seat in." Called reassured her. "But you are going to let me drive you home, doctor's orders. And we'd like to get there alive." Sam snorted, and Julia giggled.

"Kezzi drives fun!" She declared.

Sam settled himself in the back and strapped Julia in as Callen helped Kensi into her seat. She fumbled with the seatbelt for a moment but he wisely waited instead of trying to help. Once she was settled, he handed her a box of twinkies.

"Deeks figured this would distract you from pouting for the whole drive." He explained.

She stuck her tongue out at him, but gladly took the box and after several minutes of struggling was rewarded with the sweet treat.

As they pulled in, Kensi noticed the collection of famiar cars parked nearby. She ducked her head as she said

"Oh no, I'm not going in there. What has Nell done?"

Sam and Callen exchanged a look.

"Just trust us." Sam said. He couldn't wait to see her reaction to the surprise waiting for her. Deeks had come out to help her inside, and she playfully swatted at him as he hovered. Julia danced along in front of them with Callen and Sam on either side. They stopped and waited for Kensi before opening the door.

Kensi had braced herself for someone to jump out and yell surprise - and was pleased when no one did. Instead, when she entered, she saw a banner stretching the length of the wall that read "Welcome home, Julia" and she froze, confused. She turned back to Deeks, who was beaming, then looked around the room at her friends, waiting for an explanation. After a moment, realization set in and she gasped.

"Does that mean what I think it does?" She asked as she looked around. Hetty stepped forward and nodded.

"The choice is yours, Ms. Blye. Mr. Deeks has already agreed, and everything is in order. If this is what you want, then I believe you may need to read the sign to your young friend." She explained. Julia was dancing around the room with Monty, unaware of what was going on.

"But, HOW?" Kensi asked. "When, why, how did this all happen?" She stuttered out, clearly in shock. Nell spoke up next.

"Hetty saw how much Deeks loved her, and he told her about her brief stay with you. She's had a rough go of things in foster care, so Hetty and Abby pulled it all together. She told Eric and I a few days ago, and we've been approved to care for her if you're unable to do so for some reason." Nell grinned. "I've always liked kids, but this one is pretty special." She explained, gesturing towards Julia. "So what do you say?" Kensi teared up as she slowly knelt down.

"Julia, can you come give me a hug?" Kensi asked. When Julia saw the tears in Kensi's eyes, she stopped cold.

"Is it time for me to go?" She asked, looking heartbroken.

"No, sweetie. Quite the opposite." Kensi paused and looked up at Deeks, who was nodding and grinning from ear to ear. "Julia, do you want to live with Marty and I?"

Julia froze for a moment, then nearly bowled Kensi over with a huge hug before throwing herself at Deeks who swung her in the air.

"For real? I can stay with you? Not just for a few days?" The questions poured out of her mouth.

"Forever." Deeks promised, nodding.

* * *

><p>Nell and Deeks took Julia to show her the bedroom that had been prepared just for her. Kensi slowly sank down on the couch, glad to be home. She couldn't believe how much had changed in such a short time.<p>

Hetty was in the kitchen, pouring champagne for everyone. She declared that while Scotch was lovely, such an occasion called for a toast. Callen was helping her as they stood and observed the room, full of the only family they knew.

Eric was sitting near Kensi, explaining the modifications that had been made to her home so that it would be easier for her to manage on her own. Somehow he had rewired almost everything in her home so that she could control everything from her phone - her tv, the lights, heating and more. She appreciated everything he had done for her, although she complained that it wouldn't take long for her to recover.

Sam had brought over everything he thought Julia might need, including clothes and toys that his daughter had outgrown. He left a standing offer for parenting advice and playdates, promising that Michelle was excited to have a new mom friend and couldn't wait to visit.

Nell returned with Julia and dropped onto the floor beside Eric as Julia scrambled into Kensi's lap. Deeks was close behind, so Kensi sat up to make room for him beside her. He put his arm casually around her shoulder and dropped a kiss on her cheek.

"What do you think, princess?" He asked her. "Are we ready for this?" She laughed.

"I don't think anyone is. But we're going to do it anyway."

Hetty and Callen reappeared, handing out Champagne to everyone, and a glass of apple juice for Julia.

"To Family" Hetty said.

"To Family" they all replied.

* * *

><p><em>And that's where we leave it. Now I'm leaving it up to my readers. Do you want the story to end here? Or should there be an epilogue? A sequel is coming, but it may be a ways off.<em>

_Thanks to the amazing Dubigail for providing feedback, proofreading and helping me develop any scene with Nell and/or Eric. _

_I hope you've all enjoyed this. Now it's back to working on Broken Blye, and a few other ideas hiding up my sleeve._


	30. Epilogue

_Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited and followed this story. I now bring you the Epilogue.  
>This story will now be marked as complete, but by no means am I done with Julia. A sequel is coming, I'm just not sure when. I'm always open to feedback on what you'd like to see happen - and what I should call it.<br>But for now, a fluffy, happy ending for Bulletproof Blye._

* * *

><p><em>3 Months Later<em>

Kensi, Deeks and Julia had quickly and easily settled into a routine. Maria came by to check on them periodically, but had no concerns with the unusual living situation. While Deeks hadn't given up his apartment, it was rarely used as more than a place to store his belongings and change for surfing. Kensi's place was home. It was where his girls were.

Hetty had surprised him yet again by arranging for him to have several weeks of paternity leave, and then a flexible part time work arrangement until such time as Kensi was independent. Her recovery was going slowly - she had physical therapy daily, but was still struggling with many basic motor functions, including walking. Doctors still remained optimistic she would fully recover, but it could take up to a year for her damaged nerves to repair.

Julia had adjusted seamlessly to the transition. She was happy and thriving, and loved every moment she spent with her new family. Once a week, they joined Sam and Michelle's family for an afternoon out, and Kamran was thrilled to teach Julia how to climb on the monkey bars, slide down the fireman's pole and swing herself on the swings. Despite the age difference, she took Julia on as her own little sister and the two were close friends. Uncle Callen visited often, always surprising them with the gifts and ideas he brought. And of course, Nell and Eric had been approved as respite carers, to take Julia whenever Kensi and Deeks needed some time alone.

On quiet days, Kensi and Julia happily tagged along with Deeks when he went to work. Hetty had no problem with the little girl becoming a constant presence, and was secretly pleased to see the young addition to their odd family. She loved to go up to Ops and sit on Eric or Nell's lap as they taught her how to use the complex equipment. Sam enjoyed taking her to the gym to teach her evasive moves and tactics to use in case of an attempted abduction, or on the schoolyard bullies he hoped she would never encounter. Callen took great delight in bringing her to the armoury to show her weapons and explain their use, ensuring that respect for their power was the first thing she learned. More recently, he had allowed her to handle unloaded guns and she loved to help him clean them. He knew it wouldn't be long before he soon saw Kensi and Julia in the shooting range, Kensi improving her technique and teaching the young girl to hit her target with scary accuracy. He knew Deeks was apprehensive about such a young girl handling a firearm, but would trust his partner to be safe. And of course, no day was complete without a tea party. Julia, Nell and Hetty would sit around Hetty's desk as they enjoyed a cup of whatever exotic blend Hetty had chosen for the day. Julia took quickly to the beverage (watered down with milk, of course), and cherished the beautiful tea cup that "Grandma Hetty" had gifted her from her own collection, and they all enjoyed the collection of pastries that Kensi often brought in.

But today was not just an ordinary day. It marked 3 months to the day that she had come home with Kensi and Deeks, finding herself a true home for the first time in ages. Her new extended family felt this alone was reason to celebrate, so they were having a party this evening at Sam's.

* * *

><p>As Kensi approached Sam's door, she struggled to contain the excitement she was trying to smother. She had a surprise for everyone - Deeks and Julia included. She couldn't wait to share the news, but knew she needed to wait until everyone was present. She grinned inwardly as she scooped Julia up and carried her inside, with Deeks watching carefully in case her steps faltered.<p>

Deeks had a surprise as well, but unlike Kensi, everyone knew about it. When they had started planning this get together, he knew it was perfect timing and had enlisted the help of his surrogate family to ensure it was a perfect night. He grinned at the tall woman and beautiful little girl in front of him. It had happened suddenly, but he had the family he had dreamed of.

Sam and Callen stood over the BBQ, arguing over how to cook the burgers and steaks. No one dared to get in their way - everyone knew the consequences of that. Michelle and Kensi were in the kitchen, preparing salads and toppings for the burgers. Kensi had decided as part of her physical therapy she would learn some basic kitchen skills. Trust her to find a way she could still play with knives even when banned from combat. Surprisingly, she was doing quite well and had managed to learn to prepare a number of meals. Outside, Deeks, Nell and Eric played tag with Kamran and Julia, grinning from ear to ear as the little girl managed to avoid being "it" more than anyone else. Hetty stood to the side, observing her family with more pride than she had ever believed possible.

When the food was ready, everyone swarmed the table, chatting about how surprising it was that Kensi could cook, teasing Sam and Callen about whose burgers were best, and taking time to ensure Julia had her food first. As everyone was eating, Kensi stood up and tapped her knife against her beer bottle. Her friends eyed her with surprise, wondering what she was up to.

"I have an announcement to make" she said, confusing the group. They were prepared for Deeks' surprise but were certain she had no idea. Everyone was silent, Julia included. "Maria visited this morning to check up on us and to bring us this." She pulled a file out of her bag. "As of this morning, Deeks and I have been approved to formally adopt Julia. Everything is in order, we just need to sign the forms and meet with a judge to formalize it." Everyone was silent, and then started to cheer. Kensi turned to Julia, who was beaming. "So what do you say, Julia. Would you like to permanently become part of our family?" Julia shot up from her seat and wrapped herself around Kensi, yelling "YES!" as loud as she could. A moment later, she launched herself at Deeks and gave him the biggest hug she could. As she pulled back, she turned back and asked

"Does this mean I can call you mommy and daddy?" Kensi felt tears spring to her eyes as she looked to Deeks, whose tearful expression matched her own.

"Sweetheart, you can call us anything you want." She whispered. "I would be honoured to be your mommy."

Deeks stood up and enveloped Julia and Kensi in his arms, hugging them close to him as he kissed each on the forehead. "Nothing would make me happier, Julia." He told the little girl.

"But, Daddy... what about?" Deeks cut her off with a finger over her lips.

"Shhh, remember it's a secret" he whispered into her ear. "But if I had both, I would be the happiest man on earth."

"I believe this calls for dessert" Hetty spoke up, interrupting the happy family moment. "Ms. Hanna, there should be something suitable in the fridge." Michelle nodded to Hetty, knowing what she meant. Kensi stood to help her, but Michelle encouraged her to sit.

"I think Kamran and Julia can help me with this one." She said. "You should be sitting and taking it easy, anyway. I think you've overdone it today." She winked. Kensi stubbornly plopped back down in her seat and glared at Deeks, as if it were his fault everyone was so protective of her.

A few minutes later, Julia returned with a giant tub of rocky road ice cream, while Kamran helped her mom with a very large cake. As it came into view, Kensi couldn't help but laugh. It was a massive chocolate cake, covered in peanut butter cups.

"And who do I have to thank for this?" She laughed. "How did you guys know?" She asked, looking around.

"Honestly, we didn't." Callen told her. "But someone found this cake and we knew we had to get it for you." He grinned, with a subtle wink at Nell. He knew she had arranged for it to be custom made.

"Let's dig in" Sam said with a smile. "Who's going to serve it up?"

Deeks stepped forward and carefully sliced and served the cake, with Julia carefully scooping the ice cream on top. Kamran, Michelle and Nell handed it out. When Deeks came to the piece with the most chocolate on top, he winked at Julia and she added a massive scoop of ice cream, and quick as a wink dropped something on top.

"This piece is for mommy." She grinned, loving the new title for Kensi. "She gets the most ice cream." she added, beaming as she carried the plate to Kensi, who had her fork ready. She dug in and had a massive spoonful in her mouth when something caught her eye. She looked from Deeks to Julia to her teammates around her as she quickly tried to swallow the mouthful and retrieve the item on top. She swallowed and gasped as she realized what she was holding. When she looked up, Deeks was down on one knee, and everyone was grinning.

"Kensi Marie Blye, you know I've been mad about you from the moment we met. I was head over heels when I found out you were an agent, and falling in love when we were assigned to be partners. These last three months have been the happiest of my life, and while I would never wish for you to go through all the pain and heartache again, I can't help but be grateful that everything you've gone through brought you here, to me. A year ago, I had no idea how you felt about me or if we would ever be more than partners. But now, here we are - our own little family, with a beautiful little girl who is about to become ours forever. There's only one thing I could ever want more, and that is to make you mine for the rest of our lives. So Kensalina, Princess, Wonder Woman - would you do me the honour of being my wife?" He asked. Kensi sat staring at him in stunned silence. Before it could become awkward, Julia came over and whispered in her ear.

"Mommy, you're supposed to say yes."

Everyone burst into laughter as Kensi grinned at Julia whose pleading face was only rivaled by Deeks'.

"Yes. Of course. Yes!" She said as Deeks scooped her up and kissed her as their friends clapped and cheered.


End file.
